Indian man asks Netanyahu, Why is this Gaza building still standing?

UK-based Indian content creator and activist Harman Singh Kapoor has come under renewed criticism on social media following a series of posts concerning the destruction in Gaza, with users accusing him of trivialising the devastation and provoking further violence.

The latest controversy followed a 30-second video posted on Instagram, in which Kapoor appeared to mock the survival of a particular building in the Gaza Strip while tagging the official accounts of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military.

Critics interpreted the post as an invitation to strike the structure, and activists condemned what they described as an apparent incitement of violence against property in an active conflict zone.

The controversy intensified on Wednesday, September 30, when Kapoor shared an aerial image showing the area around the same building, with the structure marked by a red circle.

In an accompanying post, he used the terms “inbreds and retards” while arguing that the destruction of buildings was being described as genocide. The language prompted further condemnation, with users questioning both his characterisation of events in Gaza and the manner in which he addressed his critics.

Kapoor, who previously operated the Rangrez restaurant in Hammersmith, has been involved in several public controversies. His decision to advertise that the restaurant did not sell halal meat, while promoting jhatka meat, triggered protests, hostile online reactions and tensions within parts of the local community.

He was subsequently arrested by the Metropolitan Police following a confrontation during which he was reportedly seen carrying a ceremonial kirpan. Kapoor has disputed the treatment he received from the police and has alleged discriminatory conduct, while reports have also documented his claims of threats and harassment linked to his outspoken opposition to the Khalistan movement.

Meanwhile, updated satellite imagery has illustrated the scale of destruction across parts of Gaza, including Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza City. Areas such as Tal Al-Sultan in Rafah appear extensively flattened, while the Al-Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza City suffered severe damage during fighting in 2024. WHO officials who visited the site afterwards described the hospital as an “empty shell”.

Google Maps markers for schools, mosques, parks and restaurants remain visible in some areas, although such markers reflect previously recorded locations and do not establish whether the buildings themselves remain standing.