Prominent Muslim scholars led by Ali al-Qaradaghi, secretary general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), have issued a rare fatwa calling for jihad against Israel, urging all Muslims and Muslim-majority nations to wage military, economic, and political war to halt the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

The decree, backed by 14 respected scholars, comes after 17 months of relentless Israeli aggression that has claimed over 50,000 Palestinian lives since October 2023.

“The failure of Arab and Islamic governments to defend Gaza is a grave sin under Islamic law,” Qaradaghi declared in the 15-point fatwa, a non-binding yet weighty ruling rooted in the Quran and Sunnah. “It is forbidden to aid the infidel enemy [Israel] in its extermination of our people—whether by selling weapons, enabling transport, or staying silent.” The scholars demand an air, land, and sea blockade of Israel and a review of all peace treaties, amplifying the desperate cries of Palestinians facing annihilation.

The call to action follows Israel’s latest escalation, with 30 Palestinians killed since dawn on Friday alone. Israeli forces bombed schools, hospitals, food centers, and so-called “safe zones,” reducing Gaza to rubble. A water desalination plant was also hit, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe. Local journalist Mohammed Abu Mostafa warned, “Gaza will be erased in hours,” while activist Aboud Battah pleaded, “We are being annihilated in silence—speak for us.”

The fatwa also targets the United States, urging Muslims there to pressure President Donald Trump, who promised peace but reportedly approved Israel’s renewed assault last month, killing 1,200 more Palestinians, including hundreds of children. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing to “divide the Strip” and intensify attacks, demands Hamas disarm and release 59 captives without guaranteeing an end to the war—a stance Hamas rejects, offering instead a full captive release for a permanent ceasefire.

As Gaza’s people share what they fear are their final messages, the scholars’ decree resonates as a moral and religious rallying cry: the world’s 1.7 billion Sunni Muslims must rise to save their brothers and sisters from Israel’s unyielding destruction. (ILKHA)