In a strongly worded statement released by his office, the top Shia religious authority expressed deep concern over the worsening conditions in the Gaza Strip, where over the past two years, continuous destruction and killing have devastated the region, leaving countless civilians—particularly women, children, and the elderly—dead, wounded, or displaced.
The statement highlights the growing famine that has taken hold across Gaza, exacerbated by the long-standing siege and the systematic denial of basic necessities. “These days, the oppressed Palestinian people are enduring extreme hardship, especially a severe shortage of food, leading to widespread hunger—even among children, the sick, and the elderly,” the statement reads.
While condemning the conduct of the occupying forces, Grand Ayatollah Sistani emphasized that the silence of the global conscience is equally alarming. “Although such brutality is expected from an occupying force bent on displacing Palestinians from their homeland, the nations of the world—particularly Arab and Islamic countries—must not allow this grave humanitarian disaster to persist.”
The revered cleric called for urgent and coordinated international pressure to force the occupying regime and its backers to immediately open humanitarian corridors and ensure the delivery of food, medicine, and other vital supplies to Gaza’s civilian population.
Referring to the heartbreaking scenes emerging from Gaza, the statement noted, “The horrifying images of famine broadcast in the media pierce the conscience of every awake and aware individual. As Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him) once said in the face of tragedy in Islamic lands: ‘If a Muslim dies of sorrow upon witnessing such an event, he is not to be blamed—rather, he is to be commended.’”
The statement concluded with a solemn invocation: “There is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”
Office of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani
Najaf al-Ashraf
