Muslim Organizations have voiced strong condemnation of what they describe as the passive and overly accommodating stance of many Arab nations amid the ongoing genocide and humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Addressing a world press conference tagged: “End Gaza Genocide Now” held in Lagos Saturday, various Muslim organisations lambasted regional leaders for their quiet complicity as the Palestinian territory endures devastating violence, agony and making humanitariian aid elusive to them.
The conference drew representatives from several Nigerian Muslim groups and human rights organizations, including the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) Organisation, the International Institute of Human Heritage (IIHH), the Quds Foundation, and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).
MAI faults Arab nations calling for Hamas disarmament
Director of Muslim Awareness International (MAI), Abdul Waheed Atoyebi criticized some Arab governments for pressuring Gaza’s defenders to disarm and accept ceasefires that ignore the root causes of the conflict: occupation, oppression, and systemic humanitarian suffering. “Instead of standing firmly against genocide, some leaders are pressing the victims to surrender,” Atoyebi lamented. “True solidarity involves using diplomatic influence to end occupation and collective punishment, not urging resistance to cease.”
Atoyebi pointed out that although the Arab League and various governments have issued condemnations of Israeli aggression over the years, their actions remain inconsistent and often counterproductive. He also slammed recent normalization agreements between Israel and some Arab countries, asserting these deals have undermined the moral authority of the Arab world and weakened the Palestinian struggle for justice. “Palestinians, especially in Gaza, have long looked to their Arab brothers for support, protection, and leadership. Instead, what they often see are fragmented diplomacy, silence in the face of atrocities, and political deals that leave them exposed,” he said.
Addressing the calls for Hamas to disarm, Barr Rasheed Atta, Director of the IIHH, emphasized that lasting peace cannot come from externally imposed conditions. “Disarming Hamas while ignoring the root causes only prolongs Israeli domination and deepens Palestinian suffering,” he argued. “Demanding unilateral disarmament without addressing structural violence and occupation is unjust. It reduces a legitimate resistance movement to a security issue, neglecting the broader aspirations of the oppressed.”
Atta urged Arab leaders to reaffirm their commitment to Palestinian self-determination, reject conditional recognition based on Israeli approval, and actively support humanitarian efforts in Gaza. “The time has come for Arab unity, not neutrality,” he declared. “Palestinians don’t need mere sympathy—they need solidarity, protection, and decisive action.”
Al-Mu’minaat calls for more support for Palestine
Meanwhile, Hajia Balqees Abdullah, Amirah of Al-Mu’minaat in Lagos, called on Muslims and Christians worldwide to intensify their advocacy efforts. “Religious leaders and faithful alike are called upon to raise awareness, mobilize humanitarian aid, and pressure their governments to act,” she said. “The crisis in Gaza transcends politics; it is a moral imperative that threatens the fabric of global humanity. Inter-faith cooperation can amplify this urgent call for justice.
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Hajia Abdullah also urged African nations, especially Nigeria, to leverage their diplomatic positions in international forums. “Our governments must move beyond rhetoric. They must take urgent action to deliver aid and pressure Israel to end the siege,” she insisted.
Quds Foundation condemns U.S role
Adding a fierce critique of U.S. policy, Mal Qasim Akinloye, director of the Quds Foundation, condemned Washington’s role in perpetuating the crisis. “The United States, under both the Biden and Trump administrations, has enabled Israel through weapons supplies, diplomatic vetoes at the UN, and obstruction of ceasefires,” he asserted. “This unjust behavior is a significant obstacle to peace and only deepens the suffering of Palestinians.”
Akinloye highlighted the alarming death toll—over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access food—and warned of the rapid spread of disease due to overcrowded, unsanitary conditions and the lack of clean water.
The organisations called on people of all faiths and moral conscience to unite against injustice. They emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, and the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, unconditioned and unwavering.