Hamas warns of ‘dangerous precedent’ as al-Aqsa mosque closure enters 11th day

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, warned on Tuesday of the consequences of the continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the 11th consecutive day and the prevention of worshippers from performing Taraweeh prayers and religious retreat during the holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the movement said the closure represents a “dangerous historical precedent” since 1967 and described it as a “blatant violation” of freedom of worship and a provocative escalation against Islamic holy sites.

Hamas said the continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by what it called the “fascist occupation government”, and the prevention of worshippers and those guarding the site from accessing it to perform Taraweeh prayers and observe itikaf during Ramadan, was happening for the first time since 1967.

It said the move constituted a serious precedent, a clear violation of the sanctity of the mosque and freedom of worship, and a dangerous escalation against what it described as Islam’s first direction of prayer and a site of deep religious significance for Muslims.

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The movement added that the closure was being carried out under what it called “weak pretexts”, and within the framework of occupation policies accompanied by an increase in what it described as inciting and provocative rhetoric led by so-called extremist Zionist “Temple” organisations targeting the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to the statement, the continued closure reveals what Hamas described as the seriousness of Israeli plans aimed at changing the existing religious, historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It also warned of attempts to erase its identity and impose temporal and spatial division of the site, alongside efforts by what it called extremist Zionist groups to perform Talmudic rituals inside its courtyards.

Hamas warned of the dangers of continuing to close the mosque and preventing worshippers from accessing it or observing religious retreat there, stressing that “the occupation has no sovereignty or legitimacy over any part of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, as it is an endowment dedicated solely to Muslims.”

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