NNA - Extremist Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and Israeli Minister of Negev and Galilee Affairs Yitzhak Wasserlauf Tuesday stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation police.

Local sources said that Ben Gvir and Wasserlauf stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque from Al-Maghariba Gate, and toured the eastern courtyard, accompanied by a large number of occupation police officers.

The sources indicated that the occupation prevented worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque in conjunction with their storming.

It is noteworthy that this is the sixth storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben Gvir since he assumed his position in late 2022.

Hundreds of Israeli colonists Tuesday morning stormed al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli police forces.

According to the Islamic Waq Endowments, 1200 colonists broke into the mosque in groups, performing Talmudic rituals within its courtyards in an unprecedented scene of storming operations, as thousands of colonists are expected to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque during this day in the morning and evening.

It added that the occupation forces obstructed the entry of worshipers into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and deployed large forces at its gates in order to facilitate the colonists' storming of the holy Islamic place.

Coinciding with the incursion, Israeli police transformed the Old City of Jerusalem into a heavily fortified military zone.

Hundreds of officers were deployed in close proximity around the mosque’s gates and throughout the Old City. The heightened security measures included strict controls on access for worshippers.

Preparations are underway by groups affiliated with the so-called Temple Mount movement to commemorate what they refer to as the "Destruction of the Temple."

Their plans include a human chain around the walls of the Old City scheduled for Monday evening, with the event starting from the Buraq Wall and extending towards the Old City. This will be followed by a flag-waving march.

Additionally, these groups are calling for a large-scale incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday to mark the same event.--WAFA 

=========R.H.