DaysofPal- In a statement released on Wednesday, the Hamas Movement strongly condemned the actions of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The movement referred to the minister’s actions as “a dangerous provocation and escalation,” positioning them within the broader context of the ongoing war and the government’s attempts to alter the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“The fascist minister Ben-Gvir’s storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque this morning is a dangerous provocation and escalation, coming within the framework of the genocidal war against our people, and the efforts of the terrorist government led by the war criminal Netanyahu to Judaize the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and impose a fait accompli in the holy city,” Hamas stated.
Hamas further called for increased resistance, urging “our Palestinian people and our revolutionary youth in the West Bank to escalate the state of engagement with this arrogant enemy in all places, in defense of our land and sanctities, especially the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
It also directed a plea for action to regional organizations, urging both the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to intervene and halt what they described as “systematic violations.”
The statement emphasized the importance of safeguarding not only Al-Aqsa but also the broader Islamic and Christian holy sites under Israeli occupation.
“The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take effective action at all levels to stop these systematic violations against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla of Muslims and their third-holiest site for Muslims, and to take urgent steps to force the criminal occupation to stop its crimes against our Palestinian people and our Islamic and Christian holy sites,” the statement continued.
The morning incident saw Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by Rabbi Samson Alboim, head of the far-right Har Habayit (Temple Mount) organization, enter the mosque complex from the Al-Maghareba Gate. According to an Al-Aqsa worker, the visit occurred under heavy police protection, with the two figures touring the mosque’s courtyards.
His storming of the complex comes a few days ahead of the Jewish Passover holiday from April 12-20, an official with the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said. Over 24 illegal settlers accompanied the extremist minister during his tour, the official added.
Since the eruption of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have imposed stringent measures that severely limit Palestinians’ ability to travel from the occupied West Bank to East Jerusalem.
Palestinians view these restrictions as part of Israel’s broader strategy to “Judaize” East Jerusalem, home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
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