File Photo: The Grand Imam of Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb.
This outcry comes after Israel recently suspended all humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, a move that took effect on the second day of Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting for Muslims worldwide.
In a statement, the highest institution of Sunni Islam accused the Israeli occupation of committing "a grave crime" by starving innocent civilians, emphasizing that such actions demonstrate a total lack of mercy and humanitarian values.
Israel imposed a siege on Gaza in the war’s opening days, and UN agencies and aid groups accused Israel of blocking the entry of enough aid during the 15 months of genocidal war on the strip.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) said there was reason to believe Israel had used “starvation as a method of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last year. The accusation is also central to South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide.
Al-Azhar also condemned Israel’s deprivation of fasting Palestinians as an "unacceptable crime" and criticized the inaction of those who are authorized to intervene.
Furthermore, Al-Azhar called on Islamic nations to use their diplomatic and political influence to pressure Israel to lift the blockade during Ramadan, warning that it forces Palestinians to “choose between starvation or displacement from Gaza.”
Al-Azhar also emphasized that Islamic nations and the international community must fulfil their historical and humanitarian responsibilities by working to end this "inhumane siege," open border crossings, allow aid entry, and hold Israel accountable for its violations against the Palestinians.
Al-Azhar’s condemnation comes as Arab and Islamic leaders prepare to meet on Tuesday in Cairo to present a unified stance against US President Donald Trump's proposal, which suggests Washington take control of Gaza, forcibly displace its native Palestinian population to Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab and Muslim countries, and establish a Middle Eastern Riviera.
This colonialist-style proposal has sparked a global outcry, with Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians, and other Arab nations swiftly rejecting it, emphasizing that the establishment of a Palestinian state remains the only solution to the Palestinian cause.
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