(TJV NEWS) Video footage from Gaza showing crowds chanting “Khaybar, Khaybar, ya Yahood, jaish Muhammad sa yaoud” has drawn attention from analysts and commentators, PJ Media reported.
The chant, which translates to “Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews, the army of Muhammad will return,” has been interpreted as invoking a historic episode in early Islamic history.
BREAKING: Gazans celebrate “peace deal” by chanting “Khaybar, Khaybar, ya Yehud”, a call for the slaughter of Jews pic.twitter.com/Q8IU80SFlJ
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 9, 2025
According to Robert Spencer of PJ Media, the reference is to the Battle of Khaybar, a seventh-century raid in which Muhammad and his forces attacked the Jewish-inhabited oasis of Khaybar in Arabia. Spencer explains that the raid involved the seizure of property and the killing of some inhabitants, while others were allowed to remain under strict conditions, including paying tribute. PJ Media reported that this episode has historically been cited by jihadist groups as a symbol of triumph over Jewish communities.
Spencer’s analysis, as outlined in PJ Media, notes that Muhammad’s forces targeted Khaybar in a surprise attack, reportedly waiting until the morning to confirm that only non-Muslims remained. The Muslim army seized hidden treasure, and the Jewish leaders were coerced to reveal its location. Women and children were taken as captives, and land was confiscated. Spencer emphasized that this historical context explains why the term “Khaybar” is invoked in modern chants — as a symbolic reference to violence against Jews and the conquest of property.
PJ Media reported that the chant has surfaced in Gaza in the immediate aftermath of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Spencer highlighted that the invocation of Khaybar in contemporary settings carries connotations of hostility and aggression, rooted in this historic precedent.
By providing this historical context, PJ Media reported, Spencer points to the continuity in rhetoric from early Islamic military campaigns to modern jihadist symbolism. The chant is not merely celebratory but references a specific episode of conquest and forced subjugation, underscoring the enduring resonance of Khaybar in some militant and ideological circles.
