Carthage film festival cancelled in soldiarity with Palestinians

The Tunisian government has announced the cancellation of the 34th Carthage Film Festival, Africa's oldest cinema showcase, in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Scheduled to take place from October 28 to November 4, the festival, which accepts entries only from Arab or African directors, is a major event in the Tunisian cultural calendar.

However, the culture ministry said in a statement it was cancelling the event "in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and considering the critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip... following the brutal Zionist aggression".

Tunisia, which hosted the Palestine Liberation Organisation from 1982 to 1994, has long been a firm supporter of the Palestinian cause.

Public protests have taken place nationwide against the retaliatory strikes which Israel launched on Gaza following a shock Hamas attack on October 7, which killed at least 1,400 people, most of them civilians.

Israel's bombardment of targets in Gaza has killed at least 3,785 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.