Eight Islamic countries strongly condemn Israel's closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque

Eight Islamic and Arab countries have strongly condemned Israel's closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan for the 12th consecutive day, urging the international community to compel Israel to reopen its gates.

Foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera. They described Israel's restrictions on Palestinian access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its religious sites as a "flagrant violation of international laws, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of free access to places of worship."

The ministers called Israel's action "illegal and unjustified," rejecting and condemning it outright. They stressed that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and affirmed that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound belongs exclusively to Muslims. They identified the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, under Jordan's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as the sole legal authority for managing the site.

The ministers demanded that Israel, as the occupying power, immediately open Al-Aqsa's gates, lift restrictions on access to the Old City and cease preventing Muslim worshippers from entering. They also called on the global community to force Israel to end its "ongoing violations."

Israeli forces have imposed severe restrictions on worshippers entering the Old City, citing security measures linked to the ongoing war with Iran.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated that the continued closure constitutes a "flagrant violation of Palestinian rights."

Hamas condemned the action, describing the prolonged closure as a "dangerous historical precedent" and a "flagrant violation of freedom of worship."