The Biden White House has announced that the country is preparing for the so-called “Day of Jihad” on Friday, October 13, after a former leader of Hamas called for Muslim communities around the world to protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
On Thursday, Khaled Mashaal, a former leader of the Palestinian paramilitary group which last weekend launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, called on Muslims to take to the streets to show their anger about what is happening in Gaza.
According to the latest estimates from the Associated Press, the war between Israel and Hamas has claimed at least 2,800 lives on both sides since October 7.
“[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday,” said Mashaal, who now heads Hamas’ diaspora office in Qatar.
In a video posted on YouTube, which has since been removed, he also called on the people of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt to join the fight against Israel.
“Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan… This is a moment of truth and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility,” he said.
The call has alarmed American lawmakers, with Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, a Republican, telling CNN on Thursday that lawmakers are worried about the threat of “jihadist groups” in countries like Syria and Iraq.
Read more at Newsweek.com
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