Jerusalem:Israeli forces reportedly stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied West Bank 26 times in September, and the army prohibited the Muslim call to prayer 150 times at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
According to Anadolu Agency, the ministry's report on Israeli violations of Islamic holy sites last month highlighted an increase in pressure on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem. This situation coincided with calls from extremist Jewish groups for more frequent incursions into the site.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third-holiest site in Islam. The area, known to Jews as Temple Mount, is believed to have been the location of two ancient Jewish temples. The ministry noted an increase in Talmudic rituals within the Al-Aqsa compound, including public prayers and what was termed as 'epic prostration.'
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, associated with Jordan's Ministry of Awqaf, administers Al-Aqsa Mosque as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims. Since 2003, Israeli police have facilitated access to the compound through the Mughrabi Gate under police protection, despite continual objections from Palestinian and Jordanian authorities.
The ministry reported that at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, Israeli authorities restricted the call to prayer 150 times in September. Restrictions on some prayer times have persisted for 100 consecutive days. The mosque faced complete closure for six days due to Jewish holidays, with its eastern gate remaining closed and windows covered since the beginning of 2025.
Located in Hebron's Old City, the Ibrahimi Mosque is under full Israeli occupation, with around 400 Israeli settlers residing under the protection of approximately 1,500 Israeli soldiers. Following a massacre by a Jewish settler in 1994, which resulted in the deaths of 29 Palestinian worshippers, Israel divided the mosque, allocating 63% to Jews and 37% to Muslims.
The ministry also noted increasing attacks on mosques in the occupied West Bank. It reported that Israeli settlers set fire to the Imad al-Din Zengi Mosque in Nablus and defaced its walls with racist graffiti. Additionally, Israeli forces demolished the Al-Duwaysat prayer hall in the Al-Jiftlik area of Jericho province.
These incidents were described as a 'dangerous escalation,' prompting the ministry to urge the international community, along with human rights and humanitarian organizations, to take action to protect these holy sites and maintain their historical and legal status quo.