TEHRAN- The "Symphony of Crime" cartoon and caricature exhibition opened at the Palestine Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran on the second anniversary of the Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, serving as a gesture of support for the oppressed Palestinian people and Gaza.

The opening ceremony was attended by Majid Shah-Hosseini, the Head of the Academy of Arts, along with several officials from the academy, representatives from the Palestine Defense Society, and a large number of resistance artists and media figures. 

The exhibition features works by Iranian artists who have created art in solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza. Through this exhibition, they express their support for the Palestinian cause, with a particular focus on Gaza.

Maziar Bijani, a veteran caricaturist with numerous works on the Holocaust, has contributed several pieces to the exhibition. Among the other artists featured is Fatemeh Taslimi, whose work mainly involves illustration. Abbas Goudarzi, a prominent figure in resistance art with years of experience, also contributed pieces that echo the cry for humanity and justice. 

Additional artists including Farshad Khosravi, Mohammad Hossein Sasani, Sajad Jafari, Maryam Mohebi, Hossein Naqib, Mohammad Ali Rajabi, Mehdi Rasouli, Seyyed Mohammad Salem, Seyyed Mohammad Javad Taheri, Fatemeh Tayyoub, Peyman Alishahi, and Mohsen Faraji also have works displayed in the exhibition.

The "Symphony of Crime" will run until October 19. 

It has been two years since Israel launched its genocide in Gaza, beginning on October 7, 2023, in response to attacks by Palestinian fighters. Over this period, at least 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands still trapped under rubble. Among the dead are more than 20,000 children, with many others injured—over 169,000—many suffering life-changing wounds. 

The healthcare system is overwhelmed, with more than 125 facilities damaged, including 34 hospitals. Medical workers have been killed or detained; as of July 2023, Israel held 28 senior doctors, some of whom have died under torture.

Israeli strikes have targeted hospitals and aid workers, violating international laws that protect medical facilities. Since October 2023, over 790 attacks on health infrastructure have been documented.

The blockade and military restrictions have also caused a severe famine, with at least 459 deaths, including 154 children, due to starvation. The UN officially recognized Gaza’s famine in August 2023, the first in the Middle East in recent history, with conditions expected to worsen.

Malnutrition among children has soared, with thousands suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and many infants born prematurely or underweight. The ongoing violence and blockade have created a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza’s population.

Photo: Cartoon by Iranian artist Abbas Goudarzi, currently displayed at the "Symphony of Crime" exhibition at the Palestine Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran.

SAB/