Baghdad: Iraq’s prominent Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has called on both Islamic and non-Islamic countries to take immediate action to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the office of Ayatollah Sistani issued a statement on Friday night, calling for urgent action to end the suffering of Gazans, which has been intensifying over the past weeks due to continued Israeli restrictions on the entry of food, water, and other basic supplies. The curbs are part of Israel’s genocidal war that began in early October 2023.

The statement highlighted the severe impact on the Palestinian people, citing nearly two years of relentless killing and destruction that have left hundreds of thousands dead or wounded. It emphasized the horrific conditions being endured by the people of Gaza, including severe food shortages, widespread famine, and starvation affecting everyone, including children, the sick, and the elderly.

Ayatollah Sistani stressed that while such actions are expected from occupying forces attempting to displace Palestinians, the international community, especially Arab and Islamic nations, must intervene to prevent the continuation of this humanitarian crisis. He urged these nations to increase their efforts to end the tragedy and push the Israeli regime and its supporters to allow the swift entry of food and essential supplies for innocent civilians.

The Grand Ayatollah pointed out that the heartbreaking scenes of hunger and famine in Gaza, widely broadcast by the media, leave no person of conscience able to enjoy even a sip of water or a bite of food.