Dozens of Israeli settlers storm Al Aqsa Mosque as Gaza turmoil continues
The settlers conducted “provocative tours” within the mosque’s courtyard and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock.
Amid Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, Morocco World News reports.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA said that the settlers entered the mosque in separate groups, under protection from Israeli forces.
According to eyewitnesses, the settlers conducted "provocative tours" within the mosque's courtyard and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock.
Known as the Temple Mount to Jews, the Al Aqsa Mosque holds immense religious significance for both Muslims and Jews. This has made the mosque a longstanding flashpoint of conflict between Israel and Palestine on who has the right to worship on the Jerusalem site.
In addition, Israeli forces detained 55 Palestinians, including three women, during raids at Palestinian-owned homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem this morning, WAFA added.
The news agency said that Israeli settlers engaged in acts of violence and attempted to seize Palestinian lands near the northern Jordan valley.
These settlers also encroached on farmers' lands and attacked sheep herders in the area of Nabe' al-Ghazal, all while enjoying the protection of the Israeli army.
The situation has been deteriorating for a month now, marked by widespread destruction and a tragic loss of life among Palestinians.
The Palestinian death toll due to Israeli aggression has tragically surpassed 10,000, with the majority of fatalities occurring in Gaza.
The Israeli military's actions have led to the destruction of over half of Gaza's residential units, displacing approximately 1.4 million Palestinians.
In addition, the occupation forces launched hundreds of attacks on medical facilities in Gaza, where hundreds of displaced individuals sought refuge, resulting in 16 out of Gaza's 35 hospitals becoming inoperational.