Israeli Forces Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, Halt Ramadan Prayers; Hamas Condemns, Cites UN Report on Aid Denial

During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Palestinians have been gathering at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem to experience the spiritual atmosphere and perform prayers. Despite Israeli restrictions limiting access to the mosque, thousands of worshippers, including around 40,000 for the dawn prayer on the second Friday of Ramadan, have continued to attend. Israeli occupation forces have stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, forcibly removing worshippers and preventing them from performing i’tikaf (night prayers) for the second consecutive Friday. Hamas has condemned these actions as part of a broader religious war targeting Muslim rituals, specifically mentioning the restrictions at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the Qalandia checkpoint north of Jerusalem. Hamas has called for a serious international response to the actions of the Israeli government, urging the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to follow up on the findings of a UN report that highlighted the severity of the crimes committed by the occupation government. They also emphasized the need for the Palestinian people to resist Israeli measures and protect Al-Aqsa Mosque from settlers and Judaization plans. In addition to the tensions at Al-Aqsa, the Israeli occupation has been accused of denying humanitarian aid to Palestinians, which the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has stated constitutes a continuation of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Government Media Office in Gaza has called for Arab and Islamic countries to implement their decisions to break the siege on Gaza, specifically mentioning the need to open the Rafah crossing, and for the international community to take practical steps to end the blockade. They have also held Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders responsible for these actions.