OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has triggered strong Palestinian and regional reactions, as Israeli occupation police forces continue to keep the Mosque closed for the 39th consecutive day.
Ben-Gvir entered the Mosque compound through Bab al-Maghareba under heavy Israeli security protection, moving toward Bab al-Silsila before exiting along the same route. The raid came amid a full closure of Jerusalem’s Old City and intensified military measures around the site. Ben-Gvir has carried out around 15 incursions into Al-Aqsa since taking office in 2023.
The Hamas Movement condemned the incursion, describing it as part of a dangerous and systematic policy aimed at imposing full Israeli sovereignty over Al-Aqsa and advancing Judaization efforts.
Hamas official Abdul Rahman Shadid said the move reflects an escalation intended to empty the Mosque and leave it vulnerable to repeated settler incursions. He called on Palestinians to intensify mobilization and confrontation, stressing that defending Al-Aqsa remains an ongoing struggle.
At the same time, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the raid, calling it a “blatant violation of international law” and an infringement on the historical and legal status quo of the Mosque.
Ministry spokesperson Sufyan Qadah reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites, stressing that Al-Aqsa, which spans 144 dunums, is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and is administered solely by the Jerusalem Waqf under Jordanian authority.
The ministry also denounced the continued closure of the Mosque and restrictions on worshippers, warning of serious consequences if such measures persist.
Meanwhile, Palestinian calls for mass mobilization have intensified, urging people to gather and remain stationed at the closest possible positions to Al-Aqsa in an effort to break the imposed restrictions.
Public and political demands have also called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of all al-Aqsa’s gates and an end to repressive measures against Muslim worshipers.
The developments come as Israeli authorities prepare to open the Buraq Wall area to settlers for the so-called “priestly blessing,” amid growing calls from settler groups to escalate incursions into the Mosque compound.
