Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers storm al-Aqsa Mosque to mark Passover as West Bank raids claim another life

Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East al-Quds, under heavy protection from Israeli occupation forces, to mark the third day of the Jewish Passover holiday.

In a statement, the Islamic Endowments Department said more than 1,220 settlers forced their way into the sacred site from Mughrabi Gate area, west of the holy mosque, on Tuesday.

The settlers performed provocative tours and rituals in the mosque’s courtyards, including public dances and chants.

Video clips showed a group of settlers dancing and singing near Bab al-Asbat, where hundreds of people gathered, waiting to be allowed to storm al-Aqsa Mosque.

Hundreds stormed the Western Wall Plaza under the pretext of performing prayers.

The occupation police imposed strict security measures, transforming Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings into a military zone, preventing many citizens from entering, and confiscating their identity cards at exit gates.

Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses, is considered one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar.

Mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in al-Quds, leading to daily confrontations with Palestinians at the mosque, with many injured, arrested and killed.

The issue has been a major flashpoint between the Israeli occupation and Palestinians for decades. It was the epicenter of the 2000-2005 Palestinian Intifada, also known as the uprising.

Israeli forces detain Palestine TV crew in northern West Bank, seize equipment

Israeli forces have assaulted and detained crew members of the Palestine TV, while they were reporting from the area surrounding the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian teen succumbs to wounds sustained in West Bank raid

Meanwhile, a Palestinian teenager has succumbed to injuries inflicted by Israeli army gunfire during an offensive near the city of Ramallah in the West Bank.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing a brief statement by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, reported that 19-year-old Malek Ali Al-Hattab  died late on Monday night as a result of injuries he sustained after being shot in the abdomen in the course of the Israeli forces' raid on Jalazone refugee camp.

Hattab was injured by Israeli gunfire, along with two other young men who were wounded in the knee and hand.

Separately, a Palestinian child was rushed to hospital after being shot in the back by Israeli forces during a raid on the occupied West Bank town of Awarta, southwest of Nablus. The child’s condition is yet unknown.

The Israeli military also shot and arrested a young Palestinian man after soldiers surrounded a home on Tal Street, west of Nablus. Wafa identified the victim as Yazan Odeh.

Images shared on social media showed Israeli soldiers stationed outside the victim’s home, an injured man lying face down, and personal belongings strewn about his home following a search.

Israeli forces also arrested Palestinian man Hamza Hanani in his home during a raid on Beit Furik, a town east of Nablus.

Additionally, four young men were arrested in a dawn raid on the town of al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, east of Ramallah, and the village of Kobar, in the city’s northwest.

Since the beginning of the war on Gaza in October 2023, more than 944 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers, and more than 7,000 others have been injured in the West Bank.

Last July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

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