Deck of Shame, an independent artistic and political expression project, has released the Gaza Genocide Edition, a playable card deck that identifies and ranks 52 powerful figures its creators say bear significant responsibility for the genocide in Gaza. The deck is now available at DeckofShame.com and on Amazon, according to the full announcement available click here.
The project is inspired by the 2003 “Most Wanted” playing cards, which used a familiar format to communicate a list of high-value targets. Deck of Shame adopts that structure but repurposes it as a tool of witness and accountability. Each card in the deck features a figure the creators allege has contributed through actions or words to the devastation in Gaza, and the ranking system is intended to provoke discussion about responsibility.
Beyond the list, the deck incorporates artwork honoring Hind Rajab, a young girl whose story became a symbol of the human cost of the conflict. By preserving her memory within the deck, the creators aim to ensure that individual lives are not lost amid broader political debate. The combination of political commentary and memorial artwork positions the deck as both a conversation starter and an act of remembrance.
The implications of this launch extend beyond the sale of a novelty item. Playing cards are tactile and social, making them a medium that can circulate in homes, schools, and community spaces. By turning a deck of cards into a statement about culpability, Deck of Shame seeks to keep the issue of Gaza in public view and to encourage users to question official narratives. The project also aligns with a broader trend of using everyday objects for political expression, lowering the barrier for engagement with difficult topics.
Financial commitment is part of the project’s design. Deck of Shame allocates 20% of profits to charitable and community giving, beginning with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and grants supporting student and community-based education and advocacy initiatives. This structure ties the act of play to material support for humanitarian assistance and grassroots organizing, reinforcing the project’s stated goal of turning awareness into action.
The launch comes amid heightened global attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza and ongoing debates over accountability. By naming individuals and ranking them, Deck of Shame inserts itself into those debates with a format that is accessible and shareable. The project’s creators describe it as a way to document culpability, provoke conversation, and preserve memory, and they invite users to remember, question, give, and play. Distributed by Reportable, Inc., the announcement underscores how independent projects are using commercial platforms to amplify political messages and channel resources toward humanitarian causes.
