Ayatollah Sistani laments world’s inability to stop Lebanon, Gaza tragedies

Iraq's prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (L) meets with United Nations special representative for Iraq and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan, (3rd R) in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, on November 4, 2024.

Iraq's prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has expressed deep regret over the international community’s inability to adopt effective measures aimed at stopping ongoing Israeli atrocities in Lebanon and the besieged Gaza Strip.

During a meeting with Mohamed al-Hassan, the UN special representative for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in the holy city of Najaf on Monday, the top cleric deplored the unfolding tragedies in Lebanon and Gaza.

He lamented the inability of the international community and relevant institutions to take practical steps, stop the brutalities, and protect civilians against the repercussions of the naked aggression being carried out by the Zionist entity.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani also welcomed UNAMI’s presence in Iraq and wished it success in carrying out its duties, while pointing to “daunting challenges that Iraq is currently facing and the suffering of its people on multiple levels.”

“Iraqis, particularly the elites, should learn from their past experiences, exert maximum efforts to overcome their failures, and work diligently toward creating a better future for their country where everyone can enjoy security, stability, progress, and prosperity,” he stated.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani emphasized that “this cannot be achieved without devising scientific and practical plans to manage state affairs on the basis of competence and meritocracy, preventing foreign intervention in all forms, enforcing the rule of law, restricting weapons to state control, and fighting corruption at all levels.”

Over 43,370 people have been killed and at least 102,260 wounded in Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, the Health Ministry in the territory says.

Of those, 33 Palestinians were killed and 156 wounded in the last 24 hours, the ministry added.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza “could soon escalate into famine” as Israeli forces continue to severely restrict the entry of food and other supplies into the coastal sliver.

Moreover, nearly 3,000 people have been killed and more than 13,300 injured in Lebanon as a result of Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon on October 1 this year.