Iraq: Top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urges world to Israel's 'brutality' in Gaza

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most senior Shi’ite cleric in Iraq, calls on the international community to protest the “terrible brutality” occurring in Gaza and stop Israeli plans to further damage the Palestinian people, according to a statement released on Wednesday.

The bloodiest attack by Hamas terrorists against Israel in its history was carried out on Saturday when gunmen rampaged across Israeli cities, killing more than 1,000 people and capturing a large number of captives and transporting them to Gaza.

In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza, levelling entire neighbourhoods, and imposed a “total siege” on the 2.3 million residents of the enclave, many of whom are impoverished and reliant on charity.

According to Hamas media, the one and only power station failed to operate on Wednesday, causing a power outage.

According to Gaza’s Hamas authorities, retaliatory attacks on the blockaded territory have resulted in 1,055 fatalities, 5,184 injuries, and 535 residential buildings damaged, leaving almost 250,000 people homeless. Many of the displaced people were huddling in U.N.-designated shelters, while others were in the streets’ wreckage.

“Ending the tragedy of this honourable people, which has been ongoing for seven decades, by attaining them their legitimate right and ending the occupation from their usurped lands, is the only way to achieve peace and security in this region,” al-Sistani said in a statement.

“Without that, the resistance will continue against aggressors and the cycle of violence will continue to claim more innocent lives,” the statement added.

(With agency inputs)