Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal calls on all Muslims around the world to join protests in support of Palestine. He also calls on neighbouring countries to stand up to Israel.
Meshaal, who currently heads Hamas’s diaspora office, said in a recorded statement sent to the Reuters news agency:
“[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday.”
Meshaal, who is in Qatar, said the governments and people of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have a greater obligation to support the Palestinians. Meshaal said:
“Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan…This is a moment of truth and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility.”
Most Palestinian refugees have found shelter in Jordan and Lebanon. Meshaal said:
“To all scholars who teach jihad… to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories).”
Khaled Meshaal made the address as Israel pledged to step up its response to the Hamas attack with a ground offensive, after Israel had launched more than 200 airstrikes on targets in Gaza City.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 974 people have been killed and 5,000 injured in Gaza’s 2.1 million-strong territory.
Gaza-based Hamas has fired a barrage of rockets at Israel, calling it Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Hamas officials say their operation was in response to the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence. In response, the Israeli army launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
