Senior scholars issue decree urging Muslim armies to stop Gaza 'genocide'

A prominent union of Muslim scholars has issued a decree calling upon Muslim armies to "urgently intervene" to stop the "genocide" in Gaza.

In a statement on Tuesday, the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) said it was a religious obligation for Muslim armies to protect Palestinians. 

"The ruling regimes and official armies are required by the Islamic Sharia [Islamic law] to intervene urgently to save Gaza from genocide and mass destruction," the statement said. 

"Leaving Gaza and Palestine to be annihilated and destroyed is a betrayal of God and His Messenger."

The union added that countries bordering Palestine -  Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon - have a greater obligation to act, saying that it was one of the "greatest sins before God Almighty" to leave Palestinians to fend for themselves.