RAMALLAH, April 6, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremist national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday evening, amid its continued closure for the 38th consecutive day under the pretext of a state of emergency since the start of the US‑Israel war on Iran, in a step that poses a serious threat to the religious and spiritual sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the absence of Muslim worshippers.

In a press statement, the Ministry expressed deep concern over the motives behind this storming, particularly at this sensitive time, emphasizing that the actions of the far-right Israeli government, carried out through such incursions by its ministers, constitute a flagrant assault on a site of worship that belongs exclusively to Muslims, to which no one else has any right of entry without their consent.

The Ministry further noted that these incursions are often accompanied by the performance of religious rituals inside the mosque, describing such acts as a grave crime and a direct assault on Islamic holy sites and places of worship, violations that have been escalating under the current far-right Israeli government.

The Ministry called on Islamic and Arab institutions to uphold their responsibilities in safeguarding the first Qibla and Islam’s third holiest site, urging them to raise the issue of its closure to the level of international public opinion in order to end the lockdown, lift the ongoing siege, and allow worshippers and those observing i’tikaf to access and perform prayers at the mosque.

It also urged international bodies to take immediate and decisive action to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is facing a vicious Israeli attack. The Ministry further called on the Palestinian people to remain steadfast and maintain a constant presence at the site to confront any violations by the occupation.

T.R.