The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has strongly condemned what it calls the latest "Israeli war crimes of the day" in Gaza. The organization, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, highlighted three disturbing incidents: the execution of civilians by Israeli forces, the reported torture of detainees, and the desecration of cemeteries.
According to eyewitness reports and video evidence, Israeli forces executed more than a dozen men in a Gaza apartment last month. Muhammad Shehada, from the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, suggested a pattern of "systematic" killing on the ground. The reports of summary executions coincide with the Head of UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ajith Sunghay, calling for an end to the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces in Gaza. He described detainees being subjected to beatings, humiliation, ill-treatment, and potential torture during their 30 to 55 days of captivity.
In another alarming development, CNN reported that Israeli forces bulldozed cemeteries in Gaza, uprooting graves and desecrating at least 16 burial grounds. CAIR's National Communications Director, Ibrahim Hooper, condemned these acts as "symptoms of the decades-long dehumanization of the Palestinian people" and emphasized the need for the international community to recognize the rights of Palestinians to freedom and justice.
The press release also highlighted the death toll in Gaza, with almost 25,000 Gazans killed, predominantly women and children. CAIR underscored the urgent need for the international community to address these issues, calling for an end to the ongoing violence and recognizing the rights of Palestinians.
In a separate statement, CAIR previously condemned the killing of a Palestinian-American teen by the far-right Israeli government in the occupied West Bank. The organization criticized President Biden's unwillingness to call for an end to what it refers to as the "ongoing Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing," resulting in the deaths of American citizens and their relatives.
CAIR also called on the Biden administration to condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for admitting opposition to the existence of a Palestinian state in any scenario. The organization urged a global response to what it labeled as the "latest Israeli war crimes of the day."
Additionally, CAIR accused the Biden administration of complicity in the growing starvation in Gaza, citing UN experts' warnings of imminent famine, and called for an immediate ceasefire in the region. The organization expressed concern about the deliberate starvation of hundreds of thousands of people as a tactic of war by the far-right Israeli government.
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. The organization continues to advocate for the rights and well-being of Palestinians, condemning actions that violate human rights and international law.