The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned what is called the latest “Israeli war crimes of the day” after Israeli shelling near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital killed or wounded 40 people and four members of a Red Crescent ambulance crew were “intentionally targeted” and killed by Israel.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The health sector in Gaza is being slowly choked off as hospitals continue to come under fire.”
“We are devastated to hear that close colleagues, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medics, have been killed while performing their lifesaving work in Deir el-Balah, Gaza. This is unacceptable,” said the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and the occupied territories.
“Every day, the far-right Israeli government offers new bloody evidence of its campaign of genocide in Gaza,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “We demand that the Biden administration end it active rhetorical, political and material support for this obvious genocide, forced starvation and ethnic cleansing.”
Awad added: “Racism is at the core of what we are witnessing in Palestine and America. Israel is systematically killing Palestinians to destroy their lives and eliminate them in a genocidal campaign. President Biden and far too many American politicians and media seem to be indifferent because the victims are Palestinians, and therefore not considered human beings.”
He said CAIR supports a letter sent by press freedom groups to President Biden calling on him to do more to prevent Israeli strikes on journalists. Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the Knight First Amendment Institute, and Reporters Without Borders co-signed the letter.
Earlier today, CAIR encouraged people around the world to view oral arguments at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague in South Africa’s case accusing the Israeli government of genocide in Gaza.
The ICJ is set to hold public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case South Africa v. Israel, in which South Africa is accusing the Israeli government of genocide in Gaza. On Thursday, January 11, the court will be hearing oral arguments from South Africa’s representation, and on Friday, January 12, the court will be hearing oral arguments from Israel’s representation.
You can watch the proceedings here.
The oral arguments will begin at 4 a.m. ET, 3 a.m. CT, 2 a.m. MT, 1 a.m. PT, and 9 a.m. GMT on Thursday.
Awad also urged community members to join the March on Washington for Gaza on January 13. The location for the protest has been updated to Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC.)
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com, CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com