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Rabat – Muslim World League (MWL) Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa has addressed the situation in Gaza during the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The event kicked off today, bringing together representatives and Islamic scholars from across the world.
In his speech, Al-Issa described the catastrophe in Gaza as a mass genocide, citing the inhumane conditions that Palestinians endure throughout the genocidal war launched by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in October 2023.
“Mass genocide and systematic famine, controlled famine, in human understanding, that is a huge disgrace for the world community, and this is what our world has not faced since the UN Charter was declared,” he said.
He also expressed concerns over the expansion of wars across many countries.
IOF continues its relentless campaign, killing innocent and unarmed citizens– mainly children and women across Gaza.
Today, Israel has killed 17 Palestinians since dawn. On Tuesday, it killed 108 people. The death toll from the genocidal war has exceeded 64,900 victims, while Israel has injured 165,312 others since October 2023.
Many reports have documented Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians. A new UN report confirmed that Israel is in fact committing genocide in Gaza, urging all countries to fulfill their obligations under international law to stop their war crimes.
“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” Navi Pillay, Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said.
At the Astana gathering, Al-Issa said that world conflicts lead to nothing but evil.
“Human diversity has to be the source of our cooperation and exchange, not the reason for conflict between nations,” he added.
In addition to Palestine, Al-Issa’s opening speech at the congress also addressed other themes, including the importance of religious institutions to move beyond preaching.
“Religious institutions do not only deal with preachers, but they aim at taking actions to gain peace by directing their followers, taking their spiritual foundation to understand and recognize human dignity based on universal principles,” Al-Issa said.
He added that the principles are not slogans but are a heritage that needs to be implemented through actions and not only words.
Ahead of the congress, Al-Issa emphasized the importance of the congress in an interview with Kazinform News Agency’s correspondent.
In the interview, he said the congress is of “great importance as it provides an exceptional platform where religious leaders can actively contribute to addressing many of the challenges facing our world today.”
He added that this role is crucial in raising societal awareness and promoting “genuine dialogue between religions in order to dispel misunderstandings, resolve disputes, and foster cooperation among different faiths.”
Al-Issa also talked about the important role that religious leaders hold, as their influence could promote reconciliation, peace, and tolerance amid ongoing conflicts.
“This role begins with a sincere commitment to confront conflict – whether it is religious, cultural, intellectual, or political – and to work toward solutions through dialogue and mutual understanding,” he said in the interview.
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