US Muslim group condemns renewed Israeli attacks on Gaza

WASHINGTON

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Monday condemned renewed Israeli attacks on Gaza that have killed at least 200 people.

"We strongly condemn the far-right government of indicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu for resuming its horrific and genocidal attacks on the men, women and children of Gaza, killing hundreds of civilians in a matter of hours," said CAIR in a statement.

It said that Netanyahu prioritizes maintaining his Cabinet over a ceasefire, opting for attacks on Palestinian refugee camps instead of a prisoner exchange and an end to the war brokered by US President Donald Trump.

"The genocide must permanently stop, the blockade of Gaza must be lifted, all hostages, captives and political prisoners on both sides should go free, and then a real peace process that ends with freedom and human dignity for the Palestinian people must begin," said the group.

According to local media, at least 200 Palestinians, including children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and many more have been injured.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the army to take "strong action" against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, the Prime Ministry's Office said.

"This follows Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators," it said in a statement.

Hamas said the Israeli government has declared war on Gaza by breaking a ceasefire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19.

"We demand that the mediators hold Netanyahu and the Zionist occupation fully responsible for violating and overturning the agreement," it said in a statement.

Israeli attacks have killed more than 48,500 Palestinians since October 2023, most of them women and children, and left Gaza in ruins.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.