Grand Ayatollah Sistani issues statement on worsening famine in Gaza
The office of Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the Supreme Religious Authority in Iraq, issued a statement on Friday expressing deep concern over the catastrophic humanitarian conditions facing the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The statement read, "After nearly two years of continuous killing and destruction—resulting in hundreds of thousands of martyrs and wounded, and the leveling of entire cities and residential neighborhoods—the oppressed people of Gaza are now enduring severe and worsening living conditions, especially due to the extreme shortage of food, which has led to a widespread famine sparing no one, including children, the elderly, and the sick."
It continued, "If such brutal practices by the occupying forces are part of their ongoing efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land, then it is incumbent upon the international community—particularly the Arab and Islamic nations—to refuse to remain silent in the face of this grave humanitarian tragedy. They must intensify efforts to end this crisis and do everything in their power to pressure the occupying entity and its backers to allow the immediate and unrestricted delivery of food and essential aid to the innocent civilians of Gaza."
The statement also condemned the world’s inaction, noting, "The horrifying images of starvation and suffering being broadcast from Gaza leave no room for any person of conscience to eat or drink in peace."
The statement concluded with a powerful invocation of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), who once said regarding an attack on a woman under Muslim protection, “If a Muslim were to die of grief after this, he would not be blamed for it. Rather, in my view, he would be worthy of such a death.”
The statement serves as a solemn moral call to action, urging global powers and regional actors to confront the ongoing famine in Gaza and uphold their humanitarian and ethical responsibilities.