Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem, has sounded a grave alarm over the escalating dangers facing Islam’s third holiest site as a result of continuous Israeli excavations beneath and around its compound.

In a Friday sermon delivered at the mosque, Sheikh Sabri warned that the ongoing excavations constitute a “systematic campaign” aimed at erasing the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa and paving the way for the construction of the so-called “Temple” on its ruins.

“The occupation authorities are digging relentlessly under the foundations of the Mosque, causing visible cracks in its walls and courtyards,” Sheikh Sabri said. “This is not random — it is part of a calculated plan to Judaize the site, undermine its structure, and erase its Islamic character, while the international community remains shamefully silent.”

His statement came as tens of thousands of worshipers gathered for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite heavy Israeli restrictions. A special funeral prayer was also held in absentia for the martyrs of Gaza and the West Bank who have fallen under Israel’s ongoing aggression.

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli occupation forces erected metal barriers and military checkpoints at the entrances to the Old City and Al-Aqsa compound, detaining dozens of Palestinian youths, confiscating their identity cards, and barring many from entering the Mosque. These measures, locals say, are part of a wider effort to suppress Palestinian presence in Occupied Jerusalem and to tighten control over access to the holy site.

Despite the restrictions, thousands of Palestinians from Jerusalem and the territories occupied since 1948 managed to reach the Mosque, reaffirming their steadfastness and commitment to defending their right to worship at Al-Aqsa.

Sheikh Sabri reiterated that Al-Aqsa Mosque “belongs exclusively to Muslims,” warning that continued silence and inaction from the Arab and Islamic world could lead to catastrophic consequences for the sacred site.

“The danger is real and immediate,” he said. “If the excavations continue, we may wake up one day to find that parts of Al-Aqsa have collapsed. It is the duty of every Muslim and every free person to act before it is too late.” (ILKHA)