Egypt's Al-Azhar urges Muslim leaders to stop genocide in Gaza

By Ikram Kouachi

ANKARA (AA) – Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the highest seat of Sunni Muslim learning, urged the leaders attending the Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Saturday to call for a halt to the Israeli aggression and genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

“To our Arab leaders gathered at the Arab Summit…, we pray to God Almighty to grant success in your efforts to stop the aggression and genocide to which our brothers in dear Palestine are being subjected,” Ahmed el-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar said in a statement.

The imam also hoped that the leaders would reach an agreement “to deliver humanitarian aid,” and to reach “an urgent solution to stop the bloodshed of innocent people.”

“We, your people, support you and hope that you harness all your experience and policy to stop this Zionist aggression against our people in Palestine,” he added.

Saudi Arabia is hosting an extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in its capital to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Representatives of the Islamic world will exchange ideas about concrete steps to be taken regarding the recent developments.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 11,078 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.