Gaza Endowments demands 'Israel' be held accountable for crimes

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
5 Oct 2024 15:39
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The Ministry of Religious Endowments in Gaza condemns the Israeli occupation's targeting of places of worship in the Strip and calls on the entire world to intervene to stop the aggression against the Palestinians.

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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike on residential buildings and a mosque in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on February 22, 2024. (AP)

The Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Religious Affairs in Gaza strongly condemned the atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, emphasizing the destruction of mosques, places of worship, and cemeteries.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Ministry urged all countries worldwide to condemn these blatant crimes against humanity and religious freedoms. It held the Israeli occupation and its supporters fully accountable for their assaults on women, children, and the elderly, as well as for the destruction of mosques and cemeteries.

The Ministry denounced the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, emphasizing the need for global awareness and action against these violations.

It urged all free nations, international and UN organizations, and Islamic institutions to intervene urgently and decisively. It called for practical measures to halt the ongoing genocide and Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, demanding accountability for the occupation's criminal acts against defenseless civilians, mosques, and places of worship.

The Ministry continued, "During its Nazi war, the Israeli occupation deliberately targeted the religious institution and its endowments systematically and deliberately, thinking that this would end its noble mission. However, we confirm that the Ministry of Endowments will continue using all its capabilities, cadres, and employees to perform its mission."

IOF targeted 814 mosques, 19 cemeteries

It noted that the number of martyrs among the ministry's employees, including its preachers and imams, has reached 238, with 19 of its employees currently detained, adding that the Israeli occupation forces have destroyed 814 mosques, targeted 19 cemeteries, and inflicted significant losses on the ministry's capabilities during a full year of extermination in the Gaza Strip.

“The Israeli occupation continues to violate all religious taboos and international and humanitarian laws by continuously attacking the Gaza Strip, targeting people, trees, and stones in a clear war of genocide in full view of the entire world,” it added.

The war has left more than 50,000 martyrs and missing persons, more than 96,000 wounded and injured, and destroyed mosques, cemeteries, administrative headquarters, and endowment assets. The total cost of losses and damages the Ministry of Endowments suffered has reached approximately $350 million thus far.”

It highlighted that the Israeli occupation has "destroyed 814 mosques out of approximately 1,245 in the Gaza Strip, representing a destruction rate of 79%," while causing severe partial damage to around 148 mosques and destroying three churches.

The occupation's actions have become so extreme that several mosques and prayer halls have been bombed while worshipers were inside. A notable example is the attack on the prayer hall of the al-Tabi'in School in Gaza City.

According to the ministry’s statistics, the occupation targeted 19 cemeteries spread across the governorates of the Gaza Strip out of a total of 60 cemeteries, as it destroyed eight cemeteries, partially destroyed 11 cemeteries, dug up graves, stole thousands of bodies of the dead and martyrs and mutilated them after killing them in barbaric and brutal ways, noting that the statistics related to the cemeteries have not yet been completed due to the difficulty of reaching a number in light of the ongoing aggression.

79% of administrative, educational headquarters destroyed

According to its statistics, the attacks also affected 11 administrative and educational headquarters, accounting for 79% of the total in the Gaza Strip, which has 14 such facilities.

Of these, nine headquarters were destroyed, including the main office of the ministry, the headquarters of its Holy Quran Radio, the Khan Younis Endowments Directorate, the Antiquities and Manuscripts Center, the Endowments Sharia School for Boys, and the College of Islamic Propagation (Northern Branch).

Additionally, the Israeli forces destroyed nine vehicles belonging to the Ministry, with six completely destroyed and three severely damaged.