Muslim groups call for urgent global action to halt Gaza crisis

By Ishola Balogun

MUSLIM Organizations and human rights advocates have condemned the relentless suffering in Gaza, describing the situation as a deliberate act of genocide rather than a mere conflict.

At a world press briefing held at Anthony Village, Lagos, Saturday, members of the Muslim community voiced their outrage over the persistent humanitarian crisis that has left thousands of Palestinians enduring hunger, displacement, and death.

Addressing journalists at the event, the Director of Muslim Awareness International (MAI), Abdul Waheed Atoyebi, passionately declared, “This is never a war or a conflict. It’s genocide and deliberate starvation!” He urged people of conscience worldwide—including Muslims, Christians, Africans, and leaders—to act swiftly to halt the ongoing suffering.

The press conference was attended by representatives from numerous Nigerian Muslim groups and human rights organizations, such as the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Al-Mu’mina’at (The Believing Women) Organisation, the International Institute of Human Heritage (IIHH), the Quds Foundation, and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

Citing alarming figures, Atoyebi highlighted that over 60,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since October 2023, predominantly women and children. More than 125,000 individuals have been injured, while 750,000 have been displaced. The blockade has caused acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine, with reports indicating that as of August 1, 2025, 90 children among 159 confirmed dead have succumbed to starvation.

“Daily life in Gaza is a brutal reality,” Atoyebi described. “Take Adel Madi, a 27-year-old who saw his weight drop from 50kg to just 15kg before he died of starvation. On his deathbed, with a sunken stomach, protruding bones, and a pale face, his frail form is a stark testimony to the hunger war ravaging Gaza.”

He further condemned the collapsing healthcare system, overwhelmed medical personnel, and increasing danger faced by aid workers, noting that over 217 journalists and 224 humanitarian workers have died trying to deliver emergency assistance.

The briefing also included critical remarks on international actors, particularly the United States. Mal. Qasim Akinloye, director of the Quds Foundation, voiced strong condemnation of Washington’s role, accusing both the Biden and Trump administrations of enabling Israel’s military operations through weapons supplies, UN vetoes, and obstructing ceasefire efforts.

“The U.S. acts unjustly and remains complicit in these killings,” Akinloye stated. “Their actions are a major obstacle to peace, perpetuating violence and deepening the humanitarian crisis.”

He highlighted that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food, and the densely overcrowded conditions coupled with water shortages are facilitating a rapid spread of disease.

Adding her voice, Hajia Balqees Abdullah, Amirah of Al-Mu’mina’at in Lagos, called on the global community to intensify advocacy efforts. She emphasized the moral obligation for both Muslims and Christians to mobilize aid, raise awareness, and press governments into action.

“This crisis surpasses politics; it is a moral emergency threatening the very fabric of global humanity,” Hajia Abdullah declared. She urged religious leaders, believers, and African nations—particularly Nigeria—to leverage their influence in international forums to demand an end to the siege and the opening of humanitarian corridors.

“Our governments must go beyond rhetoric,” she insisted. “They must act swiftly to deliver aid and exert diplomatic pressure on Israel to end the violence and occupation.”

“The discussion also touched on recent international developments. Barr Rasheed Atta, Director of IIHH, dismissed calls by Arab leaders for Hamas to disarm, arguing that such demands ignore the root causes of the conflict and unjustly shift blame onto the oppressed.

True solidarity is defending the oppressed—their right to self-determination—rather than appeasing their oppressors,” he said. Atta welcomed declarations by France, the UK, and Canada recognizing Palestine as a state, but emphasized that such recognition should not be conditional.

“Recognition of Palestinian statehood must stand on the undeniable right of its people to self-determination,” the group said.

Caption: Muslim groups led by the Director of Muslim Awareness International (MAI), Abdul Waheed Atoyebi, (middle) shortly after the press briefing calling for global action to stop Gaza crisis in Lagos.

The post Muslim groups call for urgent global action to halt Gaza crisis appeared first on Vanguard News.