Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) are attempting to expel Palestinians stationed in the Al-Aqsa mosque's Al-Qibli prayer hall during Ramadan.

According to Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA), the IOF raided the Al-Aqsa mosque, intending to expel Palestinian worshippers from the sacred mosque and its Al-Qibli prayer hall, however, the Palestinians stationed inside the hall locked the doors from the inside and prevented the IOF from entering.

Despite Ramadan and Palm Sunday, israeli troops expel Palestinian worshipers from Al-Aqsa to give israelis free access to the Mosque pic.twitter.com/tQpglzUyOo

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) April 2, 2023

Witnesses indicated, as cited in AA, that the IOF had cut off power to the hall and attempted to break in and force the stationed worshippers out of the area.

It is worth noting that on April 1, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Al-Quds reported that the IOF opened fire on a Palestinian near Bab Al-Silsila in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Our correspondent cited witnesses as saying that Mohammad Al-Osaibi, 26, was martyred at the hands of the Israeli forces.

Read more: Palestinian cities on strike in protest of Al-Osaibi's execution

Just like today's incident, the correspondent noted at the time that the IOF closed the doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City in Al-Quds, and assaulted Palestinian worshippers as they were leaving the Mosque through Bab Al-Qataneen.

#شاهد قوات الاحتلال تعتدي على المواطنين على أبواب المسجد الأقصى. pic.twitter.com/0pPMkgiX5A

— Newpress | نيو برس (@NewpressPs) March 31, 2023

It is important to note that the correspondent stated that the shooting took place from inside the Mosque.

Reward for Desecrating Al-Aqsa

An Israeli Zionist group that goes by the name Return to Temple Mount has offered monetary rewards to anyone that succeeds in sacrificing animals inside the sacred Al-Aqsa mosque. 

The intention, under the pretense of a "Passover Sacrifice", is to desecrate the mosque during the most sacred month in Islam, and impose a supposed Zionist identity upon Al-Aqsa and consequently threaten the identity of the eternal Arab capital of Palestine, Al-Quds.

According to a poster being circulated by the Zionist group, the remuneration for any settler that gets arrested during the process, or the settler that succeeds, has at least doubled vis-a-vis the rewards the group offered last year.

The poster stated that the settler that gets arrested "during the preparation shall receive NIS 500 ($140); Whoever is arrested in the Old City carrying an Easter ewe will receive 1,200 shekels ($330); Whoever is arrested inside Al-Aqsa carrying an Easter ewe to be compensated will be NIS 2,500 ($690). finally; Whoever succeeds in slaughtering communion within Al-Aqsa will receive a prize money of NIS 20,000 ($5,500)."

Read more: Hamas: We will continue resisting until Al-Aqsa mosque is liberated

Last year, in the early days of the holy month of Ramadan, dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.

Palestinian media reported, at the time, that dozens of Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque through Bab Al Maghariba, performed Talmudic rituals, and carried out provocative tours in its courtyards until they exited through Bab Al-Silsila.

On the 13th day of the holy month, dozens of settlers simulated the so-called "Passover sacrifice" in the area of ​​the Umayyad palaces adjacent to the walls of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This event followed after a "rabbinical summit" held at Al-Aqsa to discuss the imposition of the Jewish "Passover" rituals and after calls from far-right rabbis and pledges from leaders of "Temple" groups to introduce the "Passover sacrifice" to Al-Aqsa on the 14th day of the month of Ramadan.

Read more: Al-Aqsa Mosque: The crown jewel of Palestine