Gaza Scholar Issues Fatwa Against October Attack, Citing Excessive Civilian Casualties
Gaza’s most prominent Islamic scholar, Professor Salman al-Dayah, has issued a powerful fatwa condemning Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel. This rare critique, presented in a detailed six-page document, argues that the attack violated Islamic principles governing jihad by failing to consider the potential for excessive civilian casualties and widespread destruction. Dr Dayah, a respected religious authority in Gaza, emphasizes the importance of protecting non-combatants and avoiding actions that would provoke a disproportionate response from the enemy. He stresses that the attack’s devastating consequences directly contradict Islamic teachings and demonstrate a failure by Hamas to uphold its obligations to the Palestinian people.
John Q. Hosedrinker