Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind slams Israeli attacks on Gaza

New Delhi: Amid the Israel-Hamas war, prominent Muslim organisation in India Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Sunday condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza and called for immediate steps to end the conflict.

The Jamiat's remarks came as violence escalated in the Middle East after multi-pronged attacks against Israel by Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas from Gaza and the subsequent Israeli retaliation that have left around 2,600 people dead.

Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive in Gaza to avenge the attacks by Hamas.

India has described the strikes by Hamas on Israeli cities as "terror attacks" but at the same time, reaffirmed its long-standing position, advocating negotiations towards establishing a "sovereign, independent and viable" state of Palestine living side-by-side at peace with Israel.

After its working committee meeting here, Jamiat appealed to all "justice-loving" international institutions to intervene in the matter.

Jamiat president and the founding member of the Muslim World League, Maulana Arshad Madani, said the Jamiat has always been a supporter of the struggle of Palestinians.

"The Jamiat still stands with Palestine today. Israel is the usurper country that has usurped the land of Palestinians with the support of some world powers. And they are now about to eliminate the existence of the Palestinian people from this land," he claimed.

The sudden escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hamas has triggered global concerns. Leading powers like Germany, the United States, France and the United Kingdom have emphasised the importance of preventing the situation from further escalation.

Madani strongly condemned what he alleged were the Israeli army's "aggression, barbaric attacks and atrocities on Gaza".

He appealed to all the world leaders to come forward to immediately stop the ongoing tragic war in Gaza.

Madani said the UN Security Council, the Muslim World League and other influential international organisations should intervene without any delay, and make positive and effective efforts to establish peace in the region.

If this does not happen, the range of this war may increase and it may engulf the entire world, he warned.

Madani also alleged that some of the world's major powers have been playing dangerous games in the Middle East in view of their own interests, due to which the people of Palestine are constantly suffering from "Israel's illegitimate rule and its cruelty".

Israel is sabotaging every attempt for peace, he alleged.

Madani said as far as India's stand is concerned, it has always talked about the establishment of peace and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people.

"From Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, everyone has always supported the Palestinian cause," he said.

The solution is that according to the decision of the United Nations, an independent State of Palestine should be established and Israel should return to its borders under the accords of 1967, the Jamiat said.