Egypt's Islamic Religious Institutes Condemn Israeli Government's Decision to Halt Humanitarian Aid to Gaza Strip

Egypt Today

04-03-2025

CAIRO – 4 March 2025: Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments, and Dar Al-Iftaa (Islamic Fatwas) have condemned the Israeli government's decision to block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip and to close the crossings used for relief efforts.
In a statement, Al-Azhar, Egypt's leading Sunni Islamic institution, denounced the decision by the Zionist occupation forces to halt the entry of humanitarian and relief aid convoys into Gaza.
Al-Azhar stated that the Israeli authorities, by depriving innocent men, women, and children of food and basic necessities, are demonstrating an utter disregard for mercy, human dignity, and the sanctity of the blessed month of Ramadan, during which Muslims abstaining from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. The institution condemned the exploitation of these religious practices as a means to inflict further suffering.
Al-Azhar emphasized that denying food and aid to fasting individuals is a reprehensible crime, according to the tenets of Islam, which calls for justice and divine punishment for such actions both in this world and the hereafter. The statement also condemned the silence of those in power who have the ability to halt these actions and the support extended to those perpetrating these crimes.
Al-Azhar urged the governments of Islamic countries to leverage their diplomatic and political influence to end the oppressive siege on Gaza, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. The siege aims to force Palestinians into a dire situation, where they must choose between starvation or leaving Gaza, allowing the occupying entity to further entrench its hold over the land.
The institution called on Islamic countries and the international community to fulfill their moral and historical responsibilities to end this unjust blockade. It demanded the immediate opening of Gaza's crossings, the facilitation of aid convoys, and the accountability of Israeli authorities for their war crimes. Al-Azhar called for a trial of those responsible for the heinous crimes committed in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office recently announced that the flow of aid into Gaza would cease immediately, as the first phase of the Hamas-Israeli ceasefire agreement expired on Saturday at midnight. However, Tel Aviv has approved a temporary extension of the ceasefire for an additional six weeks, coinciding with both the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Pesach holiday.
Meanwhile, Osama Al-Azhari, the Egyptian Minister of Endowments, strongly condemned the Israeli decision, describing it as a blatant violation of international laws and norms. He emphasized that such actions exacerbate the suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly during Ramadan.
The Minister stressed that depriving innocent people of food and medicine constitutes a humanitarian crime, violating both divine laws and international conventions designed to protect civilians in times of conflict. He warned that continued restrictions on aid will only worsen the suffering of vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and the elderly, who face life-threatening conditions.
The Minister called for immediate action from the international community and humanitarian organizations to pressure the Israeli authorities to allow the safe and timely delivery of aid to Gaza.
He further emphasized that ignoring these violations is tantamount to complicity with the occupation and its moral and humanitarian transgressions. The Minister urged all international actors to take a firm stand to end the injustice faced by the Palestinian people, asserting their right to live with dignity and to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders.
Additionally, Dr. Nazir Muhammad Ayyad, Grand Mufti of the Republic and Head of the General Secretariat of Fatwa Authorities and Institutions in the World, condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli decision to block the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and close the crossings used for relief efforts.
Additional reporting by Amr Mohamed Kandil