The Hamas Movement on Friday warned that Israel’s escalating measures at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem cannot erase the site’s Islamic identity or alter its historic character, stressing that the holy site will remain an exclusively Islamic mosque and that Israel has no sovereignty over it.

In a statement marking the 57th anniversary of the 1969 arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hamas said the anniversary comes at a time of what it described as a dangerous escalation by the Israeli government, including intensified incursions into the compound, attempts to impose a temporal and spatial division, and restrictions on Muslim worshipers seeking to access and pray at the holy site.

The Movement particularly condemned recent measures attributed to far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, including allowing Jewish prayer books to be brought into the Al-Aqsa compound and facilitating public Talmudic rituals in its courtyards.

Hamas described the measures as a continuation of the assault that culminated in the 1969 arson attack, arguing that Israel is seeking to impose a new reality at one of Islam’s most sacred sites.

“The Judaization plans and crimes will not succeed in erasing the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque or changing its historic features,” Hamas said, reaffirming that the mosque belongs exclusively to Muslims and that Israel has no sovereignty over it.

The Movement called on Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the territories occupied in 1948 to strengthen their presence at Al-Aqsa and stand firm against what it characterized as attempts to change the status quo and establish new facts on the ground.

Hamas also urged Arab and Muslim countries, as well as international organizations, to take immediate action to protect Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque and fulfill what it described as their historic responsibilities toward the holy site.

The Movement further called for support for Palestinians defending Al-Aqsa against Israeli measures, warning that continued restrictions and provocative actions could further inflame tensions surrounding the mosque.

The 1969 fire, which severely damaged parts of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, remains a deeply significant event for Palestinians and Muslims worldwide and is frequently cited as a symbol of the threats facing the Islamic heritage and identity of occupied Jerusalem.

Hamas’ latest statement comes amid growing Palestinian concern over Israeli efforts that it says are aimed at transforming the longstanding arrangements governing access and worship at Al-Aqsa, with the Movement warning that such actions threaten to deepen an already volatile situation in Jerusalem. (ILKHA)