World leaders, Hamas condemn Israeli forces for desecrating mosque, burning Qur'an in Gaza

World leaders have reacted to the horrific footage of Israeli forces desecrating a mosque in Gaza, stressing that destroying or desecrating a Qur’an is a grave offense under Islam and an insult to the faith of some 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide.

The reaction followed the viral video released by Al-Jazeera showing the moment the mosque was bombed by Israel.

On Sunday, Qatari channel Al Jazeera released images showing Israeli soldiers storming the Bani Saleh Mosque in northern Gaza and burning all the copies of the Quran inside.

According to the channel, the images also show the destruction of the Grand Mosque in Khan Younis, one of the oldest mosques in Gaza.

Al Jazeera said the footage was obtained from cameras of Israeli soldiers and from drones.

Also joining the condemnation of the barbaric act, Palestinian resistance group Hamas on described the desecration “fascist behavior filled with hatred and criminality.”

“We strongly condemn the actions of Zionist soldiers burning copies of the Quran during their raid and desecration of the Bani Saleh Mosque in northern Gaza,” the group said in a statement.

They added, “The burning of the Quran, the desecration, targeting, and destruction of mosques confirms the extremist nature of this entity and its soldiers, who are filled with hatred and criminality, and their fascist behavior towards everything related to the identity and sanctities of the nation.”

Hamas called on Arab and Islamic nations and governments to “express their anger and condemnation of the Zionist behavior, and to act to defend the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Palestine and to stop the genocide against our people.”

According to reports, Israeli offensive on Gaza, Israel has destroyed 610 mosques completely and 214 partially, and also destroyed three churches.