US-based software guru lambasts tech world's silence on 'Gaza genocide'

A well-known tech entrepreneur and software engineer, who once blew the lid of Silicon Valley’s drug-fuelled sex parties, has lambasted the tech world’s “silence around the genocide in Gaza”.

In a blog post titled ‘I can’t sleep’, Paul Biggar said that “pro-Israeli investors have created a culture of fear in tech where supporters of Palestinian freedom feel unable to raise their voices”.

He exhorted people in the tech industry to speak out for the Palestinian cause “just like most in tech made Black Lives Matter statements in 2020”.

He urged co-tech workers not to support companies and investors which support Israel and “whitewash genocide”.

In his blog post, the US-based Irish tech developer highlighted the atrocities carried out by Israel, since long before Hamas’ unprecedented cross-border operations that shattered the invincibility of Israel.

“Atrocities happened long before Oct 7th as well. The occupation was no secret. Hundreds of Palestinians killed each year since the Nakba. The rest kept under the Israeli boot, stripped of their rights and homes and dignity,” he wrote.

Israel has pounded Gaza since the October 7 attack by Hamas, killing at least 20,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 52,586 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while more than 130 hostages remain in captivity.