Does a Muslim have the right to kill Jewish children if they fall under his hands, since God says "If you punish, then punish with the same as you were punished"?
The answer given is - yes, of course:
Yes, it is permissible, without a doubt, even if that is contrary to the basic principle of Islam, as evidenced by His saying, Blessed and Most High, in the Qur’an : “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds” (which) also forbids them to kill women and children. This is the principle, but every principle or every rule has exceptions in which wisdom and purpose must be taken into account. When the Muslim scholar wants to deviate from the rule, this rule is very reasonable because it brings justice and mercy to the elderly, to women, and to children...
...We say as a matter of reciprocity, this is permissible. Here the answer ends, but we say that if a Jew, a Jewish man, kills a Muslim man, is it not permissible for us to kill a Jewish man in exchange for him? I say that it is permissible for us to kill men for one man because he is one Muslim man who is not equal to thousands upon thousands of disbelievers, according to the words of the Lord of the Worlds : "Shall we make the Muslims like criminals? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?"...As for the Jews, they are people of war, so if they kill a Muslim and we are able to kill them all, this is what is obligatory.
But there is a caveat: The Jews are powerful.
Unfortunately, the severe, painful reality reminds us that Muslims today in all Islamic countries are weak, and this is a fact that a person needs to delve into....I say that if a Jewish man other than a soldier killed a non-combatant Muslim from the people of Palestine, and the Muslim or Muslims were able to kill dozens against him, so it is permissible because the Jews are people of war. But is it in the interest of the Muslims now who are oppressed and humiliated in their own backyard, that if a person falls among their ranks, that they take revenge on the Jews, and they have the right to do so, as I mentioned above, but does reality indicate that this is considered a victory for the Muslims, if they kill a Jew in exchange for a Muslim? Or will this open the door to revenge against Muslims?Instead of Muslims killing one in exchange for a Muslim, they will kill dozens of Muslims in exchange for this Jew.Hence, we say that it is not permissible now to apply the rule as long as we are weak on earth to repel the greater evil with the lesser evil, not because it is not permissible for a Muslim. To kill a Jew in exchange for killing a Muslim is permissible, and it is permissible for us to kill dozens of Jews in exchange for a Muslim, but the reality indicates that if Muslims kill a Jew, and even if they wound a Jew, then you know in the news what they do to Muslims.Therefore, we do not think that we should return evil with evil here, because reciprocating evil with evil will expand the circle of evil against the oppressed Muslims on earth. Therefore, we see, according to the rule that we have been reassured by, that we should prepare ourselves for the day when we can eradicate the Jews and expel them from our country, and not be captivated by avenging one, two, five, or ten Muslims who were killed.
Even though Hamas is not a Salafist organization, this fatwa shows their logic and the logic of the Palestinian Muslims. Poll after poll shows that they support the murder of Jews; the only issue is whether they can successfully destroy Israel. When they think they can, they attack; when they know that Israel will respond, it deters them.
There is not a shred of morality in this fatwa, nor in the Palestinian position towards Jews living in our historic homeland. There is only practicality. And while Israel would rather live in peace, at this point peace is only possible with overwhelming strength.
It was Hamas' correct perception of an Israeli weakness along the Gaza border that prompted their pogrom of October 7.
While the world is in an uproar over Israel's response, the Arab world understands it. This is their language, and like it or not, it is the only effective response for anyone who truly wants peace.
