Far-Right Israeli Minister Prays At Flashpoint Holy Site As Aid Massacres Continue In Gaza

Warning: Graphic photographs beneath.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A far-right Israeli minister visited and prayed at Jerusalem’s most delicate holy website on Sunday, triggering regional condemnation and fears that the provocative transfer may additional escalate tensions. The go to got here as hospitals in Gaza reported that 27 extra Palestinians looking for meals assist had been killed by Israeli hearth.

With Israel already dealing with international criticism over famine-like situations within the besieged strip, the go to by Itamar Ben-Gvir to the hillside compound threatened to additional set again efforts by worldwide mediators to halt Israel’s almost two-year army offensive within the Gaza Strip.

The realm, which Jews name the Temple Mount, is the holiest website in Judaism and was dwelling to the traditional biblical temples. Muslims name the positioning the Noble Sanctuary. At this time it’s dwelling to the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest website in Islam.

Visits are thought of a provocation throughout the Muslim world and overtly praying violates a longstanding establishment on the flamable website.

Beneath the established order, Jews have been allowed to tour the positioning however are barred from praying, with Israeli police and troops offering safety. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated after Ben-Gvir’s go to that Israel wouldn’t change the norms governing the holy website.

Ben-Gvir made the cease following Hamas’ launch of movies exhibiting two emaciated Israeli hostages. The movies brought on in uproar in Israel and raised stress on the federal government to succeed in a deal to carry dwelling from Gaza the remaining hostages who had been captured on Oct. 7, 2023, within the assault that triggered the battle.

Throughout his go to to the hilltop compound, Ben-Gvir referred to as for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip and encourage Palestinians to go away, reviving rhetoric that has difficult negotiations to finish the battle. He raged towards a video that Hamas launched Saturday of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David exhibiting him skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. He referred to as it an try and stress Israel.

Ben-Gvir’s earlier visits to the positioning have been explosive and prompted threats from Palestinian militant teams. Clashes between Israeli safety forces and Palestinian demonstrators in and across the website fueled an 11-day battle with Hamas in 2021.

His Sunday go to was swiftly condemned as an incitement by Palestinian leaders in addition to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Sufian Qudah, spokesman for the overseas ministry in neighboring Jordan, which serves because the custodian of the Al Aqsa Mosque, condemned what he referred to as “provocative incursions by the extremist minister” and implored Israel to stop escalation.

Israel has been jolted this week by movies of hostages with their faces hole, ribs protruding and our bodies ravaged by starvation.

The movies — launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza — triggered outrage throughout the political spectrum in Israel. Tens of 1000’s rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday urging Israel and america to urgently pursue their launch after suspending ceasefire talks.

Proper-wing politicians who’ve opposed offers with Hamas stated the footage bolstered their conviction that the militant group should be obliterated as soon as and for all.

“From right here we have to carry a message and be certain that from right this moment, we conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over the entire Gaza Strip, take out each Hamas member and encourage voluntary emigration,” Ben-Gvir stated on a video posted on social media after his go to to the holy website.

With worldwide anger rising on the state of affairs in Gaza, round 90,000 protesters in Australia marched throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge, turning town landmark into an emblem of opposition to Israel’s army marketing campaign in Gaza.

Hospital officers stated Israeli forces killed at the least 27 Palestinians looking for meals on Sunday within the besieged territory, the place witnesses described dealing with gunfire as hungry crowds surged towards assist websites and the malnutrition-related dying toll additionally rose.

Desperation has gripped the Palestinian territory of greater than 2 million, which consultants warn is dealing with “a worst-case scenario of famine ″ due to Israel’s blockade and almost two-year offensive.

Yousef Abed, among the many folks en path to a distribution level, described coming underneath indiscriminate hearth, seeing at the least three folks bleeding on the bottom.

“I couldn’t cease and assist them due to the bullets,” he stated.

Two hospitals in southern and central Gaza reported receiving our bodies from routes resulting in Gaza Humanitarian Basis assist websites, together with 11 killed within the Teina space en path to a distribution level in Khan Younis.

Three Palestinian eyewitnesses, together with one touring via Teina, instructed The Related Press that shootings occurred on the routes, that are in army zones secured by Israeli forces. They stated they noticed troopers open hearth on hungry crowds advancing towards troops.

Eyewitnesses looking for meals have reported comparable gunfire assaults in latest days close to assist distribution websites, leaving dozens of Palestinians useless. The United Nations reported 859 folks had been killed close to GHF websites from Might 27 to July 31 and that a whole bunch extra have been slain alongside the routes of U.N.-led meals convoys.

GHF says its armed contractors have solely used pepper spray or fired warning photographs to stop lethal crowding. Israel’s army has stated it solely fires warning photographs as properly. Each claimed the dying tolls have been exaggerated.

Israel’s army didn’t instantly responded to questions on Sunday’s reported fatalities on the websites however stated it was reviewing Pink Crescent’s declare. GHF’s Media Workplace stated there was no gunfire “close to or at our websites.”

In the meantime, the Gaza Well being Ministry stated six extra Palestinian adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the previous 24 hours. It stated Sunday’s casualties introduced the dying toll amongst Palestinian adults to 82 over the 5 weeks because the ministry began counting deaths amongst adults in late June. Malnutrition-related deaths are usually not included within the ministry’s rely of battle casualties.

Ninety-three kids have additionally died of causes associated to malnutrition because the battle in Gaza began in 2023, the ministry stated.

Israel has taken a collection of steps to extend the move of meals into Gaza over the previous week, however U.N. and reduction teams say situations haven’t improved.

The battle started when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 folks, and abducting one other 251. They’re still holding 50 captives, round 20 believed to be alive, after a lot of the relaxation had been launched in ceasefires or different offers. Israel’s retaliatory army offensive has killed greater than 60,400 Palestinians, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry.

The ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its rely, is staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and different impartial consultants view its figures as probably the most dependable rely of casualties. Israel has disputed its figures, however hasn’t offered its personal account of casualties.

Metz reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo.