Kenyan Muslim leaders have called on President William Ruto to address Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip and the deaths of over 42,000 people since the conflict began last year. Speaking at the launch of the Voice for Palestine initiative, a coalition of groups including the Jamia Mosque Committee, SUPKEM, NAMLEF, CIPK, and KAMMP, they expressed concern over the President’s silence on the matter. They urged him to take a stance on the Israel-Hamas war, which they described as a growing global issue.
Voice for Palestine Chairman Ahmed Sharif stated, “What we are witnessing in Gaza is not just a crisis but a massacre of human dignity and a brutal assault on the very essence of life. The relentless bombings, the suffocating blockade, and the helplessness of children and mothers are terrifying the world. Kenya’s government must be among those calling on Israel to stop this massacre.”
The leaders also launched the Gaza Medical Campaign, aiming to raise USD 500,000 (around Ksh.64.5 million) to provide medical aid to Palestinians wounded in the ongoing airstrikes. SUPKEM leader Hassan Ole Nado said, “This campaign seeks to raise funds to treat victims of the genocide in Gaza. It will help ease the suffering of those who cannot access medical care due to the lack of available resources.”
The leaders emphasized the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which they said has extended into Lebanon, and called for peace in the Middle East amid growing fears of a wider conflict. “As we all know, Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, unlike anything seen this century,” they said in a joint statement.
As of Wednesday, more than 42,000 people had died since Israel began its airstrikes, displacing and injuring thousands more. Kenyan Muslim organizations have already raised Ksh.50 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Voice for Palestine is working with internationally recognized agencies to ensure medical assistance reaches Gaza, both inside and outside the region. Sharif added, “Through this initiative, we hope to raise at least USD 500,000 (Ksh.64.5 million) for the Gaza Medical Campaign.”
The conflict has now extended into Lebanon, where Israeli attacks have killed over 1,000 people, causing widespread destruction and displacement.
