Google pulls game simulating Gaza attacks

A mobile game that simulates Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has been pulled from Google app store, a company spokesman said on Monday after a public backlash.

Developed by PlayFTW the app called "Bomb Gaza," invites users to drop rockets and avoid killing civilians, while at the same time dodging missiles from Hamas fighters.

The game triggered outraged comments on the review page and Google confirmed that it had been removed from its app store, but did not specify which policy had been violated.

According to Britain's Guardian newspaper the game had been downloaded about 1,000 times since its launch on July 29.

On July 8, Israel launched an offensive on Gaza in response to a surge in Hamas rocket strikes.

Gaza officials say more than 1,800 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed and about 3,000 Palestinian homes have been destroyed or damaged.