Hundreds In Cape Town’s Muslim Community Rally In Solidarity With Palestinians Amid Escalating Conflict

Cape Town, South Africa  — Several hundred members of the Muslim community in Cape Town gathered on Sunday at the Al Quds mosque to voice their support for the Palestinian people amidst the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East. The gathering took place as the Islamist movement Hamas launched one of the most significant attacks on Israel in years.

Moulana Abdul Khaliq Ebrahim Allie, President of the United Ulema Council South Africa, emphasized the broader significance of the issue, stating, “Recently, we saw how the Zionists act against Christians, so it is not only a Muslim issue. It’s a matter of human rights. It’s a matter of where the rights of others are being violated, and to the extent where they cannot live freely their religion.”

The surprise assault orchestrated by Hamas involved gunmen crossing the border into Israel alongside a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. In response, the Israeli government has formally declared war and initiated substantial retaliatory military actions.

Shaykh Shahid Esau, a former member of the South African parliament, drew parallels between the Palestinian struggle and South Africa’s own history of liberation, noting, “South Africa’s liberation movement was also forced… to take up arms to have an impact.”

During the apartheid era, the international community rallied for sanctions against South Africa. Shaykh Shahid Esau expressed his concerns, stating, “We find the very same Western countries that supported South Africa during the apartheid regime…they are the very same people that are now supporting Israel against the Palestinian people.”

The South African government has joined the chorus of international voices calling for an immediate cessation of violence in the region. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) issued a statement expressing deep concern over the escalating conflict, citing factors such as the “continued illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque and Christian holy sites, and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people” as contributing factors.