Egypt has strongly condemned the Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday, 26 December, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
In a statement released on the same day of the incident, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the act as a “provocative step” and a blatant violation of the “historical and legal status quo of the holy site.”
The ministry also warned that such extremist actions incite the feelings of Muslims worldwide and undermine opportunities for peaceful coexistence.
Cairo called on Israel to fulfill its obligations as an occupying state and to respect the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.
The statement also urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to take decisive measures to halt these violations.
Additionally, Egypt emphasized the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The storming marks the fourth such incursion by Ben-Gvir since he assumed his ministerial position. Palestinian worshippers were barred from entering the compound during the minister’s presence, while Israeli police tightened security measures around the Old City.
The incident sparked condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, which administers the mosque, and Hamas, all of whom described it as a provocation and a violation of the historical and legal status quo, which reserves the site for Muslim worship.
The humanitarian condition in the West Bank has deteriorated over the past 14 months ever since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that between January 2023 and November 2024, 968 Palestinians, including 210 children, have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers across the occupied West Bank.
Most recently, Israeli military raids on the Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps in the occupied West Bank on 24 December left at least eight Palestinians dead, including two women and a teenager, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
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