Hundreds of illegal Jewish settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the first day of Ramadan on Thursday under the protection of Israeli forces, The New Arab reported.
Al-Aqsa, located in the Old City of East Jerusalem, is occupied, the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest Muslim place in Palestine.
The Jerusalem Islamic Awqaf Department, a Muslim body that administers Al-Aqsa, said 294 extremists participated in the storming of the site, where they performed Jewish rituals in violation of the status-quo arrangement governing the compound.
Under the long-standing agreement, prayer is reserved for Muslims at the site, and only members of other faiths are allowed to visit.
Israeli forces restricted the movement of Palestinian youths and prevented them from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Israeli settlers raided the mosque freely. pic.twitter.com/j4ZlbpqnPV
— AlKofiya News (@AlKofiyaorg) March 23, 2023
Thursday’s invasion came amid calls from extremist groups to storm the Al-Aqsa compound on the first day of Ramadan – the holiest month in the Muslim calendar.
Hamas has already warned Israel against escalating tensions in Jerusalem, as happened last year which led to a brief war between the two.
Israeli forces and settlers have killed 90 Palestinians so far in 2023 according to the Palestinian health ministry, including 17 children.
(The New Arab, PC)
