Al-Azhar, one of the most influential Islamic institutions in the Muslim world, retracted a statement late Tuesday night that condemned Israel’s military campaign and siege on Gaza, citing concerns it could jeopardize ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
The original statement had called on “active and influential forces” to intervene and stop what it described as Israel’s “genocidal war and mass starvation” in the Gaza Strip. It demanded the immediate entry of humanitarian aid and accused Israel of systematically targeting civilians and health facilities in violation of international law.
However, the statement was quietly removed from Al-Azhar’s official platforms within hours. The following afternoon, the institution’s media office issued a new statement justifying the withdrawal, calling the move “brave and responsible.” According to Al-Azhar, the decision aimed to ensure the statement would not be used as a pretext to derail sensitive negotiations for a humanitarian truce.
A source close to Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb told Mada Masr that the retraction followed direct pressure from Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty, who warned that the message could obstruct ongoing talks. These negotiations—mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States—are aimed at securing a ceasefire and allowing urgently needed aid into the besieged enclave.
The source added that Tayeb was persuaded to withdraw the statement if doing so could “bring in even one bag of flour” to the starving population of Gaza. The foreign minister reportedly relayed concerns on behalf of both Egyptian and Qatari mediators that the statement could give Israel justification to walk away from the negotiating table.
The statement’s withdrawal comes as Gaza faces deepening humanitarian catastrophe. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 10 people died from malnutrition-related causes in the last 24 hours alone. Israel’s blockade, in place since March, has severely restricted aid, while Israeli forces reportedly fire on Palestinians approaching designated distribution centers.
The original Al-Azhar statement had denounced the killing of “thousands of children and innocent people” and accused the international community of failing to protect them. It declared the institution’s “disavowal before God” of what it called the global silence surrounding the crisis and condemned any efforts to displace Gaza’s population.
Although the statement was widely reported by local media before being taken down—leading to some outlets removing their coverage—it was not the first time Grand Imam Tayeb has spoken out against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Since October 7, he has publicly supported Palestinian resistance, criticized the Israeli occupation, and rejected any displacement of Palestinians. These statements have at times conflicted with Egypt’s official stance.
The same source noted that this was not the first instance of Egyptian authorities pressuring Al-Azhar to alter its messaging. On a previous occasion, Foreign Minister Abdel Atty had reportedly contacted Tayeb to request a change in the language of another statement, alongside a similar request from a senior government body.
Negotiations remain stalled over Hamas’s demands for assurances that Israel will not resume military operations and over how far Israeli forces will withdraw from occupied areas within Gaza. Despite mediation efforts, Israel has fortified new positions and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his intent to relocate most of Gaza’s population to a confined area near the Egyptian border—what he termed a “humanitarian city”—before resuming the war.
International concern is mounting. On Monday, thirty Western nations issued a joint call for an immediate end to the war, denouncing Israel’s “drip feeding” of aid and the killing of civilians attempting to access food and water. The statement said more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking humanitarian relief.
In response, Hamas accused Israel of committing massacres to pressure negotiators, calling it a “desperate attempt” to extract concessions that it has been unable to achieve diplomatically.
