Does Google owe an explanation for removing video game apps about the war in Gaza?

Roman Shapiro, creator of the widely-reviled Bomb Gaza video game, claims that his game was a joke conceptualized in the span of two hours. Bomb Gaza is an Android game that allows users to assume the role of an Israel Defense Force soldier commandeering an F16 fighter jet. Players are encouraged to drop bombs on Hamas militants and sidestep civilians. They lose the game in the event that they end up killing too many civilians.

His joke was incendiary. Within days of the game’s July 29 release in Google Play stores, reviewers and netizens responded with moral outrage. Though the game was downloaded nearly 1,000 times, it was officially removed from Google Play stores on August 4.

Since the conflict in Gaza began in early July, Google Play has seen a flood of games sympathetic to both Israeli and Palestinian militants. Bomb Gaza has been the subject of the most publicity, yet, on the pro-Israeli side, there’s also Gaza Assault: Code Red , a game that lets users control Israeli drones to protect the nation's citizens. Whack the Hamas , modeled after classic arcade game Whac-a-Mole, lets users defend Israeli citizens from Hamas members who are “popping out of their tunnels,” referring to Palestinian tunnel warfare. Both were removed a day after Bomb Gaza disappeared from the store. In addition, there’s also Rocket Pride, which lets players defend the Gaza Strip from “oppressive occupiers.” That game has also been taken down.

Gaza Assault: Code Red gameplay, via nothingisreal. 

Some games are still available on Google Play. Iron Dome – The Game doesn’t name an enemy specifically, only referring to the “terrorists” against whom players should defend Israel’s