
'Israel killed my brother. Now my No Thanks app has 11 million users'
'He was drinking tea on the balcony, and they just bombed an entire square,' Ahmed said. 'I know it in Arabic, what it's called, but it's like a multiple airstrike in a specific area. That's what they do.
'And those bombs murdered around 25 people. Between them, my brother.'
It was not the first time Ahmed had lost a loved one; he holds Israel responsible for the death of his sister Basma in 2020. She had fallen ill in Gaza, and needed to be transferred to a hospital in Jerusalem in order to receive the appropriate treatment. But the Israeli authorities did not grant permission for the transfer for more than a month.
READ MORE: 'I spent 16 months in Gaza amid Israel's genocide. Here's what I saw'
'My father did everything he could, but they didn't let her go,' Ahmed said. When the papers finally arrived, it was too late. Basma died in the ambulance on her way to the hospital."
'I couldn't handle it in the beginning,' Ahmed said, adding that – as with the death of other loved ones, which has become all too common for people in Gaza – the family had tried to do charitable works in Basma's honour after her passing.
Then, after Ibrahim's death, Ahmed said he was 'lost'.
'I started to think about a way to do some charity work for him too.' And then came inspiration.
On one trip to the supermarket, Ahmed said he got to thinking about how he could be sure to be avoiding Israeli goods – or goods from firms connected with Israel.
'I looked into a few products and I started to think like, 'oh, is this product on the boycott list or not? Should I start googling them? Should I start searching, do this and this?'
'And then I got the idea: I really wish there was a way just to scan the barcode and [it's] done. Here is the answer. Is it in the boycott or not? So that was the core of the idea.'
Two weeks later, Ahmed had created the first version of his app No Thanks, which allows users to scan products' barcodes to learn if the company has links to Israel.
Less than two years on, it now has more than 11.5 million users. But the success came with drawbacks in his own life.
READ MORE: I'm an Israeli trying to help in Gaza. Now our bank account is at risk
Living in Budapest after moving to Hungary on a scholarship in 2018, Ahmed – who is now 26 – was undertaking an internship at a major tech firm when he was called into a meeting.
'They told me: 'Sorry, No Thanks made a lot of noise and we'll have to cancel the contract immediately'.
'They even told me that the CEO of [the firm] had a meeting with the CEO of [another major firm] and they both actually had talked about me,' he added.
The Israeli boycott movement has proven controversial internationally, with anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) laws in countries such as Germany and the US.
READ MORE: Co-op members vote to remove all Israeli products from shelves
Ahmed questioned how supposedly free-market societies could try to prevent people from making free choices with their custom – and raised concerns that any business operating out of Israel would pay taxes that go 'to the IDF and supporting killing innocent people'.
'We are now fighting ideology,' he said. 'They want to kill all of the Palestinians, and we are trying to stop that.
'I say it loud and clear, it is a genocide. It is a massacre, a huge massacre happening in Gaza.
'And after that, these countries are coming to blame me for just making an app.'
Amid all the peace talks and international deals, one question remains: where is Gaza in all of this?
Don't the people of Gaza deserve peace after more than 600 days of genocide?
Don't they deserve even the most basic human rights?
If world leaders won't act, then we – as… — Ahmed Bashbash (@AhmedBashbash) June 24, 2025
'The boycotts should be our new lifestyle,' Ahmed went on. 'We should stop supporting the people who are actually just looking for wars, looking for destruction, looking for displacing people.
'And if these companies and brands, whoever, don't actually come to our requirement, then we are simply not going to be your customer. That's it.'
The runaway success of the app – 11.5 million downloads is twice the population of Palestine, Ahmed notes – has seen a steady income brought in. However, all of it goes on either supporting the servers required for the app to run, or supporting people in [[Gaza]] directly.
But with Israel controlling the flow of goods into the strip, it is getting more and more difficult.
'Prices right now in Gaza, inflation will be an easy word for it,' he said. 'A bag of flour will cost you $600 to $700, just for a bag.
'If I wanted to compare it to last year, when I used to buy tents for people … in a week, we used to give 10 to 20 tents. Now, I cannot afford one tent in an entire week. It's too expensive in Gaza right now.'
READ MORE: The key points not being talked about in BBC Gaza documentary review
Ahmed still has family in Gaza; though his sister Munira managed to escape to Egypt, his brother Hussian remains. But when he has contact with his brother, Ahmed no longer recognises where they grew up.
'It is now all sand or rubble,' Ahmed said of his birthplace in Gaza City. 'When he [Hussian] sent me a picture, I couldn't actually recognise which area it was – even though I lived there for 19 years.
'I actually played on the street every day, every single day till I couldn't see the ball anymore – we didn't have electricity there, so we used to play in the light of the sun.
'When you see it now, you don't see a place of humanity. You see just a bunch of rubble from a zombie movie or something.'
A view of Gaza City after Israel's offensive (Image: DAWOUD ABU ALKAS, REUTERS) For Ahmed, his No Thanks app is 'my peaceful way to protest against what's happening in my country and what happened with my family, brother and sister that I lost'.
The app is developed by Ahmed's software firm BashSquare – which he explained came from a quip on his name.
'Bashbash. That's my family name actually,' he said. 'It's kind of a joke that my name is Ahmed Bashbash.
'My math teacher in 9th grade used to make fun of me and call me BashSquared – in Arabic, of course.
'He was my best teacher, so I actually took this nickname that he gave me. In Arabic, Bashbash comes from the word called bashasha, which is the smile.'
That smile remains on Ahmed's face, enduring through the shadows of airstrikes, exile, and loss.
You can download the No Thanks app for Android and iOS on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

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ITV News
14 minutes ago
- ITV News
UK joins call for 'immediate' end to war in Gaza, as IDF launches offensive on Deir al-Balah
The UK government and 25 others have called for an "immediate" end to the war in Gaza, as the IDF has launched an assault on Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. The joint statement, released by the Foreign Office, condemns the "horrifying" killing of Palestinians seeking aid, and brands Israeli government's aid strategy in Gaza as "dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity." It comes as the IDF ordered the evacuation of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, with charities in the city reporting Israeli military vehicles on the ground. The statement was signed by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy and foreign ministers of other 24 nations including Canada, Australia and France, and the EU Commissioner for Equality. They condemn the "drip feeding of aid" and the "inhumane" killing of civilians, including children, while searching for water and food. It continues: "It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. "The Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. "The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. "We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively." Meanwhile, the IDF has ordered Palestinians to evacuate Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and move south towards Al-Mawasi. Deir al-Balah had previously been considered one of the less hard-hit parts of the territory, and had been a key hub for humanitarian efforts. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), a spokesman for the IDF said the army continued to operate with "great force" and was expanding its operations into "an area it has not operated in before." A spokesperson for charity Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) has described the situation in Deir al-Balah as "extremely critical." They added: "Shelling is taking place all around our office, and military vehicles are just 400 metres away from our colleagues and their families, who endured a harrowing night after relocating there. "Everyone is now evacuating, with most unsure where to go next. One colleague shared that the area is filled with shelling and quadcopter strikes, and there's growing fear about both staying and attempting to leave.' Smoke was seen rising over the Gaza Strip on Monday as Israel widened evacuation orders. On Sunday, Medical Aid for Palestinians confirmed the IDF's evacuation order area included humanitarian and primary healthcare sites it operated. It said the forced displacement orders do not allow for the transport medial equipment or supplies. Steve Cutts, MAP's Interim CEO, said: 'This latest forced displacement order is yet another attack on humanitarian operations and a deliberate attempt to sever the last remaining threads of Gaza's health and aid system. 'MAP now has to suspend critical services we have been providing to the Palestinian population, including a primary health clinic that serves hundreds of civilians every day. "With Israel's systematic targeting of health and aid workers, no one is safe. Not only are we prevented from carrying out our lifesaving work to support Palestinians, we are also unable to protect our own teams." As talks for a ceasefire continue, the death toll in Gaza has reached more than 59,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.


The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Two Israelis questioned by police at Belgium music festival over Gaza war crime allegations
Two individuals, identified by Belgian authorities as members of the Israeli army, were questioned by police at a music festival in Belgium over allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The Federal Prosecutor's Office in Brussels confirmed the questioning in a statement on Monday. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, however, offered a different account, stating that an Israeli citizen and an Israeli soldier, both on vacation, were taken in for interrogation and released shortly afterwards. The ministry confirmed that Israeli authorities are "dealing with this issue and are in touch with the two." The discrepancy between the Belgian prosecutor's description of "two Israeli army members" and the Israeli Foreign Ministry's reference to "one civilian and one soldier" remains unclear. The current whereabouts of the two individuals who were questioned have not been immediately disclosed. The case was hailed as a 'turning point in the global pursuit of accountability' by a Belgium-based group called the Hind Rajab Foundation, which has campaigned for the arrest of Israeli troops it accuses of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group was named for a young girl who Palestinians say was killed early in the war by Israeli fire as she and her family fled Gaza City. Israel says its forces follow international law and try to avoid harming civilians, and that it investigates allegations of wrongdoing. In a written statement, the prosecutor's office said that the two army members — who were in Belgium for the Tomorrowland festival — were questioned after the office received legal complaints on Friday and Saturday from the Hind Rajab Foundation and another group. The prosecution office requested the questioning after an initial assessment of the complaints 'determined that it potentially had jurisdiction.' The Hind Rajab foundation said it filed its complaints along with the rights group Global Legal Action Network. The decision to question the two Israelis was based on an article in Belgium's Code of Criminal Procedure that went into force last year and grants Belgian courts jurisdiction over acts overseas that are potentially governed by an international treaty, in this case the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1984 United Nations convention against torture, the prosecution statement said. 'In light of this potential jurisdiction, the Federal Prosecutor's Office requested the police to locate and interrogate the two individuals named in the complaint. Following these interrogations, they were released,' the statement said, without elaborating. It said it was not providing any further information at this stage of its investigation. The news in Belgium came as the U.N. food agency accused Israel of using tanks, snipers and other weapons to fire on a crowd of Palestinians seeking food aid, in what the territory's Health Ministry said was one of the deadliest days for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war. The death toll in war-ravaged Gaza has climbed to more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. Since forming last year, the Hind Rajab Foundation has made dozens of complaints in more than 10 countries to arrest both low-level and high-ranking Israeli soldiers. 'We will continue to support the ongoing proceedings and call on Belgian authorities to pursue the investigation fully and independently,' the group said in a statement. ' Justice must not stop here — and we are committed to seeing it through.'


Scotsman
15 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Police body's legal action warning over Donald Trump's Scottish visit
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The body representing rank and file police officers across Scotland has warned that it could take legal action if the extraordinary challenge posed by Donald Trump's visit to the country causes the national force to fall foul of legally binding work agreements. David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said that there were 'certain parameters' that Police Scotland had to follow, and stressed that it could go to court if there is a breach of any legally binding deal. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The upcoming visit by the US president to Scotland poses one of the biggest operational challenges for the force since the COP26 climate change summit nearly four years ago, with thousands of officers set to be deployed as part of a vast security operation. Donald Trump will visit his Scottish resorts this weekend, prompting a major policing and security operation. Picture: Getty | Getty Images Mr Trump is set to arrive in Scotland on Friday for a five day visit. It is understood his trip will begin at the Trump Organisation owned Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, before he heads to Aberdeenshire to his inaugural Scottish property, Trump International Golf Links. With several anti-Trump protests also expected across Scotland protest scale of the policing operation, Police Scotland has submitted a mutual aid request to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for additional officers to help with the demand. Warning over 'legally binding' agreement But amid ongoing warnings about the impact of Mr Trump's visit on police resources, Mr Kennedy said that if necessary, the federation would go to court so as to look after officers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'We have an agreement reached for all officers in Scotland and the shifts they work, and how you police Scotland. There's certain parameters that the service have to follow, and if they don't follow them, then that is a breach of that agreement, which is legally binding. 'If they breach that, then the only option to the SPF to protect its members is to go to court.' David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire | PA He added: 'This is a big event for Police Scotland, but we have major concerns. We do not have enough police officers in Scotland. Anyone that says we do, I don't know where they get those figures from. 'We know what police officers have to do day in, day out and we need more officers in Scotland. When these events come along that puts those officers that are here under so much pressure.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At the weekend, the federation's chair, David Threadgold, told Scotland on Sunday that some officers involved in Mr Trump's visit may be expected to work 12 hour shifts, posing a 'challenge' for how they eat, sleep and rest. Mr Threadgold said that 'very few if any' officers will not be impacted by the operation, and compared it to previous presidential visits and the COP26 summit that took place in Glasgow in 2021. He added: 'We are talking about bespoke workforce plans because although this is a well-established workforce, we are cognisant we cannot deliver this without impacting on individual officers across the country. Mr Trump will visit Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire as part of his return to Scotland. Picture: Getty | Getty Images 'What that means in simple terms is some may be required to work 12-hour shifts, for example, which normally wouldn't happen. That is the type of change cops will see during this event.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police in Northern Ireland assessing request Details of the request by Police Scotland to the PSNI remain unclear, but it has echoes of the mutual aid agreement struck with other forces in 2018, when Mr Trump visited Scotland during his first term in office. A spokeswoman for the PSNI confirmed it had received a request from Police Scotland, and that the force would have to ensure its own 'operational competence' when assessing it. She explained: 'There are well established processes for any UK based police services to request support from other services at times of peak demand. 'These requests are managed via the National Police Co-ordination Centre and we can confirm that PSNI have received a request to provide mutual aid to Police Scotland which we are currently assessing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The so-called Trump baby blimp featured prominently in protests against the then US president during this visit to Scotland in 2018. Picture: Jeff| Getty Images 'The decision to provide officers under the mutual aid process will be considered against our own demands, ensuring that we retain the capacity to respond effectively to local issues and maintain our own operational competence.' Mr Trump's visit - his first to Scotland since 2023 - will see him meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer while in Aberdeen. A spokeswoman for the White House said the meeting will allow the two men to 'refine the great trade deal' that was brokered between the UK and US. Plans are also being drawn up for an engagement between Mr Trump and First Minister John Swinney, although it is not clear where, or when, the two men will meet. Airspace restrictions in place Strict airspace restrictions will be in place over Mr Trump's resort in Balmedie. According to notices filed by the Civil Aviation Authority, there is a ban on unmanned aircraft flying below 1,000 feet within a one mile radius surrounding the property. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ban not only covers drones, but parachutes, paramotors, small balloons, and any kites, according to the documentation. When Mr Trump visited Turnberry seven years ago, a paraglider descended on the resort, prompting Police Scotland to warn the individual that they had put themselves in 'grave danger.' This time around, protesters who have joined forces under a group known as the 'Stop Trump Coalition' have organised two protests in Scotland, with one scheduled to take place at Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen on Saturday, while another will be held outside the US consulate in Edinburgh the same day.