By Gamal Jamil
TRT Afrika, Nairobi
Islamic scholars in Kenya have expressed support for Palestinians as violence continues in Gaza with Israel carrying out bombardment including on civilian areas.
Several Imams in the capital Nairobi focused their Friday Khutbas (sermons) on the conflict, condemning Israeli attacks against Palestinians in the latest hostilities in the region.
Israel says its air strikes on Gaza were a response to an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday.
"For the Israelis, we can see their brothers feeling for them. The Americans were very fast to say that we are going to send weapons to Israelis,'' Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, a member of the Jamia Mosque Committee said.
The Jamia Mosque is the largest mosque is the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
''Our stand is that the people of Palestine are freedom fighters fighting for their land,'' Sheikh Lethome said.
He further urged the Muslim community in Kenya to make supplications in support of the people of Gaza.
The Imam of Parklands Mosque, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ishaq, also prayed for Palestinians and urged congregants to speak up against ''Zionist oppression.''
Beyond the mosques
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is closely followed across Africa with governments and citizens expressing their views.
Kenyan President William Ruto has said his country would stand with Israel.
''Kenya joins the rest of the world in solidarity with the State of Israel,'' Ruto said in a post on the social media platform X in the wake of Hamas' incursion into Israel on October 7.
However, some MPs and citizens in the East African country have different views.
"Kenyan leaders and the Kenyan public, who are fully informed of the history and developments of the Israel-Palestine conflict, stand with Palestine, and we do not sympathize with colonizers,'' Mohammed Ali, the member of parliament representing Nyali constituency said in a post on social media.
''I pray for my Palestinian brothers and sisters to be granted the resilience, patience, and strength to free themselves from the hand of the oppressors," the MP said.
Humanitarian appeal
Popular Kenyan social and political activist, Boniface Mwangi, has also condemned Israel's decision to cut electricity, food, fuel and water supplies to Gaza.
''Dropping bombs on innocent Palestinians' homes is punishing the innocent. Israel's army is deliberately committing war crimes,'' Mwangi said.
Some local organisations are also due to hold public events over the weekend including a candlelight vigil to show support for Palestinians.
"We are holding this vigil to show our support for the people of Palestine, who are facing a near-genocide, and to tell the Kenyan people to stand with the Palestinian people," Zahid Rajan, the coordinator of an NGO, Kenyans for Palestine, told TRT Afrika.
Some other organisations like Al-Khair Foundation and the Jamia Mosque Committee have started a humanitarian appeal to assist the people of Gaza.
