Israel Blocks Prayer at Hebron Mosque for 75 Days, Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa

Israeli occupation forces have continued to tighten measures at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem, amid escalating actions aimed at imposing new realities and altering the religious and historical character of both sites. In Hebron, Israeli forces have now prevented the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque for 75 consecutive days. The mosque's director, Mutaz Abu Sneineh, dismissed the justifications for the ban as flimsy, asserting that these measures are part of an effort to change the mosque's religious and historical nature and assert control over it. This coincides with increased actions by Israeli forces and settlers in southern Hebron, including preventing electricity crews from working and raiding the village of Al-Samou.

In occupied Jerusalem, 124 settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday morning through the Mughrabi Gate, under heavy protection from Israeli police, according to the Islamic Waqf Department. The Waqf reported that the settlers conducted provocative tours in the courtyards and performed rituals in the eastern section, all under intense security from Israeli forces. Concurrently, Israeli authorities are imposing restrictions on Palestinians entering Al-Aqsa, including confiscating their IDs at the gates, alongside an increase in banishment orders from the compound as Jewish holidays approach.

Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher Sheikh Akram Sabri warned that the upcoming Jewish holiday season could be one of the most dangerous for the mosque, citing calls from extremist groups for large-scale incursions and the performance of rituals within its courtyards. Sheikh Sabri urged Palestinians to increase their presence and vigilance at Al-Aqsa, emphasizing that protecting the mosque and preserving its Islamic identity requires constant attendance and alertness in the coming weeks. These events occur amidst a rise in settler violations at Al-Aqsa, marked by increased numbers of intruders and the performance of Talmudic rituals, paralleling the occupation measures at the Ibrahimi Mosque. As the Jewish holiday cycle continues, Palestinian and Jerusalemite calls persist for heightened presence at Al-Aqsa to counter attempts to impose new realities on the mosque and the holy city.