The Ramadan series “Lunch Box” has sparked controversy on social media due to a scene that quoted a video of a Palestinian mother crying over her killed son. The viral video had the Palestinian mother looking for her son, saying:

“His name is Youssef… He is seven years old… He has curly hair… He is fair-skinned and handsome.”

In the series, actress Jamila Awad was seen looking for someone using the same description.

The scene has been criticized for exploiting the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people for entertainment purposes. Many viewers have expressed their anger and disgust on social media, calling for the scene to be removed from the series.

Writer Amr Medhat showed that the original script had completely different names and descriptions, and posted pictures of the original script.

It’s worth noting that scripts are always subjected to change and improvising, whether the writers are aware or not, but most series’ have the writers or their team on-ground to approve the scripts and write as they go if any changes are needed. We are, however, unsure of what this particular series was like on set.

On the other hand, director Hesham el Rashidy stated:

“We apologize to anyone who was offended by the similarity between the painful scene of our sisters and the scene in the series, which was not intended at all.

The issue will never be a matter of anything other than full support and respect.

May God give our people in Palestine patience and help them.”

Neither of them have accepted their accountability in the situation, nor has the production made any statement regarding the scene or whether it will remain in reruns and streaming platforms or not.

The controversy highlights the need for greater sensitivity and respect when portraying the experiences of the Palestinian people in popular culture. It is important to remember that the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people is not a commodity to be exploited for entertainment purposes.