Floria Persis

At a press conference held in July 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly addressed the slogan "Gays for Gaza." Referring to pro-Palestinian demonstrators, he remarked, "Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming 'Gays for Gaza.' They might as well hold up signs saying 'Chickens for KFC'" (Walker, 2024). His statement is believed to refer to the case of Mahmoud Ishtiwi, a former Hamas member who was tortured and executed for alleged homosexual acts (Walker, 2024).

In December 2025, Iran’s currency officially hit a record low (Amwaj.media, 2025). Protests in Tehran quickly erupted thereafter and were led by merchants in the capital’s grand bazaar, the backbone of Iran’s economy. What first began as economic protests quickly turned into a nationwide uprising against the government.