Analysts predict mass unrest and possible terror attacks after former Hamas leader Khalid Mashal issued a general call to arms throughout the Muslim world and the West for this Friday, October 13th, which he named a “Day of Rage” in retribution for Israel’s alleged war crimes in Gaza following Hamas’ bloody rampage in the neighboring border towns.
Mashal first posted his speech to YouTube on Wednesday, but the video has since been removed. In it, the Qatar-based retired militant leader not only called for global mass protests in solidarity with Palestine but also for beginning a ‘holy war’ by Muslims in Israel’s neighboring countries, nicknamed by Mashal as operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” after one of Islam’s holiest sites located in Jerusalem.
Apart from going out to the streets and to “show anger” at Zionists and their Western backers worldwide on Friday, Mashal also asked Hamas sympathizers to ramp up their financial support for those fighting in Gaza (calling it a “financial Jihad”) as well as calling on leaders of Muslim nations to coordinate their international political pressure to stop Israel’s military invasion of Gaza.
But most importantly, Mashal asked all Muslims worldwide to “carry the Jihad in their souls; to fight and be martyrs” for the cause. He especially called on Muslims in the neighboring Arab countries (such as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt) to take up this “personal responsibility” and charge Israel’s borders in masses from every direction. In addition, he even called for religious leaders to issue a fatwa compelling Muslims to take part in this holy war.
“This is the time for Jihad to be applied on the ground rather than just in theory,” Mashal urged. “Funds are important, but today we are asking for your blood and souls.”
Brother Rachid, a Moroccan security analyst and media personality who first analyzed the speech in a lengthy video posted on X, predicted violent and destructive protests worldwide in response to Mashal’s address, which—based on social media engagement, has been seen by millions so far.
Rachid also warned against possible terror attacks in the Middle East and in the West, primarily against Jewish and American targets, but said it was unlikely that anyone would answer the call to attack Israel’s borders directly.
The analyst also explained that Friday is the day of prayer in Islam and was chosen by Mashal because the communities come together for the occasion and can be easily incited after. “It’s a tactic very known among Islamic groups,” Rachid said. “The Friday sermons usually help fuel people, so they get out [of prayer] angry and mad, and willing to do something about it.”
Khalid Mashal was one of the founding members of Hamas’ politburo in 1992 and later became its chairman, leading the terror organization between 2004 and 2017. In 1997, Mashal survived an assassination attempt through poison by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad in Amman, after Jordan’s King Hussein asked U.S. President Clinton to pressure Israel into handing over the antidote in exchange for the participating operatives.
