Hamas urged the Palestinian masses across occupied al-Quds, the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories, and the occupied West Bank to head Friday, August 23, to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and persist with their steadfast presence there.

In a statement, the Palestinian group called upon the Palestinian people to confront and prevent the attempts of extremist Israeli settlers to storm and desecrate the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and to foil their malicious plans aimed at dividing it.

Hamas also called on the Palestinian people, the Ummah, and all the free people around the world to mobilize and gather in every venue on Friday, demanding it be a day of mass mobilization and action to support and defend Gaza, al-Quds, and the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque.

Last week, hundreds of settlers, including Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, raided the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of occupation police forces.

The Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds reported that 2,200 settlers stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque since morning, marking what is known as the anniversary of the "destruction of the temple."

At the time, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine indicated that the settlers raised the entity's flag inside the al-Aqsa Mosque at Bab al-Silsila while carrying out provocative tours inside the holy mosque.

Hundreds of Israeli settlers headed by hard-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir broke into the courtyards of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday and performed Talmudic rituals there, while being backed by well-armed Israeli forces. pic.twitter.com/3JA7XzFdHT

— Palestine Info Center (@palinfoen) August 13, 2024

During the storming, occupation forces obstructed Palestinian worshippers from entering the courtyards of the Mosque, deploying large forces at its gates to facilitate the settlers’ incursions. 

The occupation police transformed the Old City of occupied al-Quds into a heavily fortified military zone, deploying hundreds of officers at the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and enforcing stringent military measures at both the mosque’s entrances and throughout the Old City.

Hard-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir performs a provocative song along with other fanatics as they tour the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/rfAvwZ5rEr

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 13, 2024

During a speech at the so-called "Jerusalem Day Flag March," which commemorates the Israeli military's occupation of the Palestinian city in 1967, Ben-Gvir declared Israeli "sovereignty" over the al-Aqsa Mosque.

After "Israel's" occupation of the eastern part of al-Quds, it made an arrangement that permits Jews to visit al-Aqsa Mosque but not perform rituals there. However, in recent years, the increasing number of Israeli settlers, some performing provocative rituals accompanied by Israeli occupation forces, has heightened longstanding Palestinian concerns that "Israel" intends to occupy the sacred Islamic site.

"Temple Mount is ours, Damascus Gate is ours, let the whole world know that," Ben-Gvir said, adding, "Today, according to my policy, Jews entered the Old City freely. And on the Temple Mount Jews prayed freely. We say in the simplest way, it’s ours."

It is worth noting that Ben-Gvir has included changes to the status quo at al-Aqsa Mosque in his ministry's formal action plans. His plan aims to alter the status quo at the Mosque by taking control of the site and allowing access to Israeli settlers.

On 55th anniversary of Al-Aqsa fire, Hamas warns of Israeli plans

On Wednesday, Hamas said in a statement marking the 55th anniversary of the incident of burning the al-Aqsa Mosque that this anniversary comes amid ongoing international silence, complacency, and complicity, as well as American and Western support for the crimes, massacres, and violations committed by the Israeli occupation.

The al-Aqsa Mosque fire, which occurred on August 21, 1969, was carried out by an extremist Australian national named Michael Dennis Rohan. The flames consumed the entire contents of the eastern wing of the Qibli Mosque, located on the southern side of the al-Aqsa compound, including its historic pulpit known as the Salah al-Din pulpit.

The group underlined that the burning of al-Aqsa and all crimes of the Israeli occupation have only strengthened the Palestinian people's steadfastness and adherence to the land and sacred sites.

It affirmed that all attempts by the occupation to Judaize al-Aqsa, alter its features, erase its identity, or divide it temporally and spatially will fail.

"The occupation has no sovereignty or authority over a single inch of the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque," Hamas made it clear, asserting that the Mosque is and will remain an Islamic endowment.

The Palestinian movement reiterated the necessity of supporting and protecting al-Aqsa, saying, "Our nation’s leaders and governments, who rallied to support al-Aqsa after the fire in 1969, are today called upon to fulfill their historical responsibility in defending it."

In the same vein, Hamas emphasized the need for the entire nation—leaders, officials, people, governments, and organizations—to assume their historical roles and responsibilities in supporting the steadfastness and resistance of the Palestinian people.

Read more: EU, OIC condemn Ben-Gvir's storming, provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque