As delegations from Hamas, Israel and the United States come together to negotiate terms under President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, local religious leaders like Imam Talib Shareef of Masjid Muhammad are also working toward peace in Palestine.
“Today we join leaders around the world in welcoming President Trump’s call and plan for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ‘If they incline towards peace, then incline towards it [also] and rely upon Allah,’” Shareef wrote in a statement, quoting Quran 8:61. “In a region long battered by cycles of violence and retaliation, any cessation of hostilities is a precious opening— a doorway to dialogue, healing and the possibility of durable peace.”
The leader of Masjid Muhammad, also known as The Nation’s Mosque, has been a longtime advocate for peace in Gaza, where more than 66,000 people have been killed since October 7, 2023, post coordinated Hamas attacks and Israel’s continued retaliatory efforts.
“On average, 100 people are reported killed every day in Gaza due to the Israeli military operation or shootings at the ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” food points,” Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Near East, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Oct. 1. “Meanwhile, others die of hunger or lack of medical care. The growing death toll is fueling a growing indifference.”
Lazzarini emphasized the need to document ongoing crimes and attend to suffering, and also called for a “ceasefire now.”
Days after the UNRWA leader’s declaration, delegates from the U.S., Hamas and Israel began working toward Trump’s now 20-point (previously 21 points) Gaza ceasefire plan.
However, for Shareef and many other humanitarian activists, peace for Palestine does not end with a ceasefire, as the country has long experienced challenges with Israel.
“Palestinians have a tragic story to tell of dispossession, displacement, and horrific oppression that began a century ago,” wrote Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute on October 7, 2024, a year after the 2023 Hamas attacks in a piece called “History Didn’t Begin or End on October 7th.” “But here in the U.S., their story is not the dominant narrative. The nightmare they’ve lived isn’t understood or is outright rejected.”
After years of suffering and subjugation, Shareef said the ceasefire should be the first step in prolonged peace for the people of Palestine.
“A ceasefire must not be seen as the end; it should be the beginning of sincere and inclusive negotiations toward sustainable peace, security, and human dignity for all,” Shareef said.
Shareef’s Five-Point Plan Toward Peace
While the delegates from Israel, Hamas and the United States meet in Egypt to discuss Trump’s 20-point plan toward a ceasefire in Gaza, Shareef offered five principles to promote peace in Palestine.
The imam’s five-point plan includes: protecting civilians and opening humanitarian corridors; addressing root causes; inclusive mediation; trust-building steps; and moral and legal accountability.
The ultimate goal is to provide support and uplift the estimated 1.9 million and counting Palestinians who have been displaced since October 2023. The hope is to also bolster the 7 million Palestinian refugees around the world who have been displaced due to the historic, ongoing Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, which many note started with the Arab-Israeli War of 1948.
“A ceasefire is a sign of life. Let it not be a pause for reloading, but a space for reflection, repentance, and renewal. True believers are those who make peace among people.” Shareef said, after outlining his “moral, humanitarian, and diplomatic principles.” “Our hope is that this call for ceasefire will be embraced by all parties and open the door to a just and lasting peace– one that honors the dignity of Palestinians and Israelis alike, and restores the sacredness of life in the Holy Land.”
As the delegates meet in Egypt two years post the Hamas attacks in Israel, the D.C.-based religious leader called on people around the world to promote peace in Palestine.
“We urge the international community, especially faith leaders, to encourage the moment toward sustained negotiations that uphold human rights, justice and coexistence,” Shareef emphasized. “May this be a turning point toward lasting peace and regional stability.”
Imam Talib Shareef
Gives a true directive for Peace as needed in Palestine and for Palestinian People who are still experiencing the genocide and daily horrific activities of continued destruction of life of a who can hope only for G-D’s Grace and Mercy. Hopefully the world’s leaders hear and respond!
I applaud Imam Talib Shareef for his moral courage and authentic leadership for offering solutions to a long-term quagmire on the global landscape. I sincerely hope that people in positions of political and religious power will heed the wise recommendations of Imam Talib Shareef. Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”