Hamas condemns “Nazi-like occupation” for burning Qurans, urges defense of holy sites

Shafaq New/ On Saturday, Hamas condemned Israeli soldiers for burning copies of the Quran during a raid on the Bani Saleh mosque in northern Gaza.

“The burning of Quran copies and the desecrating and destroying of mosques highlight the hatred and criminality of this extremist entity’s soldiers, and show their fascist behavior towards our nation’s identity and sacred sites,” Hamas said in a statement.

"The documentation of this heinous crime by Israeli occupation soldiers and its sharing on social media reflect a systematic and criminal policy orchestrated by the Nazi-like occupation government,” Hamas affirmed, “This act further advances the Israeli brutal campaign of extermination against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, targeting not only human lives but every aspect of life in the area.”

In this context, Hamas called on people, governments, and organizations in the Arab and Islamic world, as well as all people of conscience globally, “to condemn the fascist Zionist actions, defend Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine, and work to halt the genocide in the Gaza Strip."

The movement also called in the statement for “providing full support to the Palestinian people and its resistance against the violence and terrorism targeting their land and sacred sites, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Footage captured by Israeli soldiers and army drones showed Israeli forces storming the Bani Saleh Mosque in northern Gaza, setting fire to all Quran copies, and also destroying the Grand Mosque in Khan Yunis, one of the oldest mosques in the Gaza Strip.

On October 7, Israel launched a major offensive against Gaza following an operation by Hamas, which was a reaction to intensified Israeli actions against Palestinians.

Since then, at least 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly children and women, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.