Beyond its simple and natural shape, the watermelon contains a history of resistance from Palestine against Israeli repression, and it has become a social media trend after the renewal of Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Green, red, white, and black colours exist in the watermelon connecting it with the Palestinian flag, and its slice represents the red triangle of the flag. After becoming a sign of the Palestinian movement, netizens are using watermelon to convey their solidarity with the people of Gaza.

The use of the watermelon as a Palestinian symbol is not new. It first emerged in 1967, when Israel seized control of the West Bank and Gaza and annexed East Jerusalem. Following this, the Israeli government used a military order to make public displays of the Palestinian flag a criminal offence in Gaza and the West Bank.

The watermelon is also widely cultivated in Palestine, from the West Bank to Gaza, and features prominently in Palestinian cuisine.

Another prominent example is the work of Palestinian artist Khaled Hourani, who in 2007 painted a slice of watermelon for the Subjective Atlas of Palestine project. His work received wide viewership and served to associate the watermelon with the Palestinian cause strongly.

Since the invasion began, many authors, activists, journalists, filmmakers, and ordinary users across the world have reported that social posts containing hashtags such as “Free Palestine” or “I Stand With Palestine” are receiving less engagement than their other posts.

They believe their messages expressing support for Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces are being shadowbanned by social media platforms.