The chairman of Hamas’ decision-making body urged Muslims across the world to “build on” the horrific terrorist attacks on Israel of Oct. 7, which he characterized as a “victory,” and to send money to Hamas in what he called a “financial jihad.”
Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, spoke at the International Union of Muslim Scholars on Tuesday. The union, an international body of Muslim theologians that forms the supreme authority of the Muslim Brotherhood, met in Doha, Qatar, where Haniyeh lives.
“The people of Gaza constitute our frontline trench for defense, as well as for offense,” Haniyeh said, according to a translation from the Middle East Media Research Institute. “They are not there only to defend, but also to attack. What was October 7 if not a frontline trench for an offensive by our nation? We must not let this moment slip away.”
The Hamas leader referred to the horrific terrorist attacks last year, in which Hamas terrorists raped women, slaughtered infants, and took hostages in Israel. At least 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, died in the attacks, and Hamas took 200 Israelis and others hostage. Israeli authorities say about 132 hostages remain in Gaza, though it’s not clear how many are still alive, after Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza to eradicate Hamas’ military capabilities.
In the United States and other countries across the world, many expressed solidarity with the victims of Oct. 7, but many have also protested against Israel’s response, demanding a cease-fire. Those protests have often featured disgusting attacks on Jews and examples of antisemitism, from chants of “gas the Jews” in Australia to outright harassment of Jewish students on college campuses.
Referring to those anti-Israel protests, Haniyeh insisted that “time is on our side.”
“At the beginning of this aggression, the Americans were waving a big stick in the face of the world, and even in the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities in some European countries. Some of their prominent Palestinian or Arab figures were summoned and were told not to raise the Palestinian flag or do anything,” he said. “But the language of the same countries has now changed. Why has it changed? Because of the [Palestinian] steadfastness. Were it not for this steadfastness, the conscience of the world would have been crushed.”
“Brothers, we should build on this steadfastness. We should hold on to the victory that took place on October 7 and build upon it,” the Hamas leader added.
He called on Islamic scholars to establish “groups and delegations” in countries around the world to lead pro-Hamas protests and “meet with the heads of state in the Arab, Muslim and even Western countries.”
The Hamas leader also urged Muslims to “donate money.”
“The Islamic nation does not make ‘donations,’” he said. “This is not just a humanitarian issue, despite its immense importance and Gaza’s need for any aid it can get. This is financial jihad.”
“We should revive this principle of Islamic jurisprudence in our Islamic nation—the notion of waging jihad with one’s life and one’s money,” he concluded.
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