• 'Land of Gaza belongs to Gaza,' says Kosovar scholar Hajredin Hoxha, calling gathering 'wake-up call' for Muslims worldwide

ISTANBUL

The sixth day of the eight-day Gaza Conference continued on Wednesday on Democracy and Freedom Island in Istanbul, with workshops focused on building Islamic and international alliances, overcoming obstacles to mobilizing the Muslim world, and preparing a humanitarian front for Gaza and Jerusalem.

In the morning session, participants split into two groups: one explored methods and tools for an “Islamic alliance proposal,” while the other discussed the possibility of forming an international coalition against genocide, drawing on the historic model of Hilfu’l-Fudul (the Pact of the Virtuous).

The midday workshop examined “ways to mobilize the ummah (Muslim community) and the internal and external barriers to doing so.”

In the afternoon, attention turned to international humanitarian solidarity for Gaza and Jerusalem. One group evaluated the role of NGOs and legal institutions in providing aid and advocacy, while another drafted recommendations for cooperation with humanitarian and legal organizations.

These discussions fed into preparations for the “Istanbul Declaration,” which aims to launch a unified humanitarian front.

The day concluded with a meeting of workshop leaders to compile reports and finalize contributions to the general session.

'Gaza belongs to Gaza'

Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the conference, Professor Hajredin Hoxha, an academic and religious leader from Kosovo, called the gathering “a wake-up call conference for the Muslims all around the world.”

He stressed the urgent need for action. “More than 150 Islamic scholars from over 50 countries are here to raise their voice, to stop the Israeli genocide, Israeli atrocities in Gaza. The ongoing slaughter has continued for 22 months and we see no actual and concrete steps to stop this bloodshed.”

Hoxha emphasized that the Palestinian cause is rooted in faith and history: “The land of Palestinians belongs to Palestinians. The land of Gaza belongs to Gaza. This is declared by the Holy Quran, which is a blessed land.”

He added that opposition was not directed against Jews as a people, but against “the Zionist, extreme, rightist people… who really are trying to deny the rights of the other for existence.”

The Kosovar scholar urged broader alliances to resist extremism of all kinds.

“All Muslims, Christians, the moderate Jews, they should unite their forces to stop this Zionist regime, extreme regime, to stop this killing. During history, Muslims protected Jews and Christians under their rule. Now we ask them this favor — to unite with us to fight this extreme Zionist regime,” Hoxha said.

'Time now is for action'

Reflecting on the practical outcomes of the conference, Hoxha warned that “if the plans are not fulfilled, there is no point from this conference.”

He explained that delegates had agreed to prepare urgent appeals to Muslim and European leaders to take political and diplomatic steps, to support aid convoys seeking to break the siege, and to explore legal mechanisms for prosecuting war crimes.

“We have discussed that the Gaza siege must be broken. There are already more than 45 ships, from Asia to Europe, preparing to deliver aid and challenge the blockade.”

Hoxha also stressed legal measures against war crimes. “We have discussed with lawyers and judges how we can indict, how we can stop and catch those soldiers who participated in the genocide and the bloodshed.”

Drawing parallels to his own region’s past, he compared Palestine’s struggle with the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

“If we compare the Serbian genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo, immediately, the international community took action. NATO intervened, and by this way the bloodshed and genocide came to an end. Now we wait (for) the same action to be taken… The time now is for action,” he said.

Islamic and Humanitarian Responsibility: Gaza

The conference, titled Islamic and Humanitarian Responsibility: Gaza, is jointly organized by the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) and the Foundation for Islamic Scholars in Türkiye. Bringing together more than 150 scholars and representatives from over 50 countries, it addresses Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and the broader response of the Muslim world.

In previous days, leading figures such as IUMS President Sheikh Ali Muhyiddin al-Qaradaghi, Türkiye’s top cleric Ali Erbas, and IUMS Secretary-General Sheikh Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi stressed the urgent duty to deliver aid to Palestinians.

Contributions were also made by Sheikh Ahmed Hassan al-Taha of the Iraqi Fiqh Council and Professor Nasrullah Hacimuftuoglu, president of the Foundation for Islamic Scholars in Türkiye.

The gathering began Friday with prayers at Istanbul’s Eyup Sultan Mosque and will conclude on Aug. 29 at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, where the “Istanbul Declaration” will be announced, outlining “concrete steps for political, humanitarian, and legal action” in support of the Palestinian cause.