Israeli Forces and Settlers Raid Hebron Mosque, Stop Dawn Prayers and Raise Flags

Hebron, MINA – Israeli occupation forces, accompanied by settlers, stormed Al-Ras Mosque in the Al-Jaabari neighborhood of Hebron’s Old City before dawn on Friday, assaulting those inside, preventing the dawn prayer from being held, and closing the mosque to worshippers, according to Wafa.

Local sources said the troops and settlers entered the mosque, raised Israeli flags at its entrances, and played Hebrew songs through the mosque’s loudspeakers. Two worshippers who had been staying inside the mosque were forced to leave before the site was shut down. The mosque remained closed to worshippers throughout the day.

The raid comes amid escalating tensions in Hebron, a city that has seen repeated Israeli military incursions and settler activities. About six months ago, local sources said, settlers seized a plot of land belonging to the mosque and adjacent to it, where they later established a playground.

The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs strongly condemned the raid, denouncing the raising of Israeli flags on the mosque, the playing of loud Hebrew songs inside its courtyards, and the prevention of worshippers from accessing the site. The ministry described the act as a blatant violation of religious freedom and an attack on Palestinian identity and heritage.[]

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)