Hamas said on Wednesday that the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces for the nineteenth consecutive day, along with the prevention of prayers there, represents an ongoing systematic assault on freedom of worship.

In a press statement, the movement added that the ban on Tarawih prayers and religious retreat (I‘tikaf) within the courtyards of Al-Aqsa—alongside repeated assaults on worshippers in its vicinity—reflects a persistent attempt to impose a Judaization reality aimed at altering the status quo in Jerusalem and at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Hamas warned of the consequences of these measures, which coincide with escalating incitement campaigns by what it described as extremist “Temple organizations.” The movement stressed that the decisions of the Israeli authorities are “null and void,” issued by an illegitimate authority, and will not succeed in changing the Islamic identity of the mosque.

The movement also emphasized that the ongoing closure of Al-Aqsa requires urgent action by the Islamic world to halt Israeli escalation, calling for the protection of holy sites and an end to restrictions on worshippers.

It further urged the international community to condemn violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine, warning that Israeli policies are contributing to heightened tensions in the region.