Watan-Palestinians performed Friday prayers yesterday inside one of the mosques destroyed by the occupation in the Gaza Strip, defying the Israeli killing machine that indiscriminately targeted Islamic and Christian sanctities alike.
A circulated video showed one of the mosques with its walls and dome destroyed, with concrete blocks dangling from the ceiling.
Several worshippers were seen listening to the sermon delivered by the imam, who stated, “Allah wills nothing but the completion of His light… This is the light of Allah.”
He continued, “Today, we pray in the mosque despite the disapproval of the unbelievers, in fulfillment of His saying: ‘They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to complete His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.”
The occupation deliberately targets mosques in Gaza with airstrikes
Images and videos of dozens of mosques destroyed in Gaza by the occupying forces have previously circulated.
Footage published last October depicted the destruction of the “Al-Amin Muhammad Mosque” in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, following an Israeli airstrike in response to a Hamas attack on Israel.
The destruction of 26 mosques
According to the documentation by the Ministry of Awqaf (Religious Endowments), the Israeli war machine completely destroyed three mosques and caused partial damage to around 40 mosques during the “Sword of Jerusalem” battle in 2021. Additionally, approximately 110 mosques were fully or partially destroyed during the “Operation Protective Edge” in the Israeli aggression of 2014.
In the recent Israeli attacks on Islamic sanctities in Gaza, the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in Gaza revealed in early November that Israeli airstrikes completely destroyed 26 mosques in the region.
In a statement carried by media outlets, the ministry added that “the Israeli brutal bombardment also partially damaged dozens of mosques, causing severe damage to some.”