‘Wa Islamah!’: Pilgrim Arrested in Mecca for Plea Against Gaza Starvation
The arrest took place at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where the man made a public plea highlighting the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza. His act of protest—raising the flag near the Kaaba and crying out in anguish over Gaza’s suffering children—was swiftly interrupted by Saudi security forces.
In a video widely shared on social media, the pilgrim can be heard shouting, “The children of Gaza are dying. O Muslims!” before being apprehended by officers.
Footage also shows him exclaiming “Wa Islamah!”—a cry of distress historically used in defense of Islam—urging fellow Muslims to act as starvation spreads in Gaza.
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Saudi Arabia bans all forms of political messaging during Hajj and Umrah, including national symbols and slogans. Officials argue that such restrictions preserve the spiritual nature of the sacred rituals. But critics see it as a cover for silencing voices of solidarity with Palestine.
In recent years, the kingdom has tightened restrictions on expressions of political opinion at religious sites. A similar incident in 2023 saw a British pilgrim detained for wearing a white keffiyeh and using prayer beads colored like the Palestinian flag.
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The Egyptian pilgrim’s appeal comes as Gaza remains under an Israeli siege that has devastated daily life. Since October 7, 2023, more than 59,700 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, and nearly 145,000 others injured as a result of Israeli attacks.
Gaza’s media office reports that over 100,000 children, including 40,000 infants, are at risk of severe hunger. Starvation and malnutrition have claimed 122 lives so far—83 of them children. Aid groups warn that supplies of therapeutic food are running dangerously low, placing thousands more in imminent danger.
Source: Agencies
