UAE and Hamas Condemn Ben-Gvir's Storming of Holy Sites

The United Arab Emirates and Hamas issued strong condemnations following the storming of Islamic holy sites by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and hundreds of Jewish settlers. The incidents involved the desecration of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the storming of the Al-Aqsa Courtyard in Jerusalem, both conducted under the protection of Israeli police.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized the Al-Aqsa incident as an unacceptable act of extremism and a provocative escalation. The ministry called on the Israeli government to hold its officials accountable and emphasized the need to respect the custodial role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in managing the site.

Simultaneously, Hamas described the events as part of a broader Israeli war against Islamic holy sites. Senior Hamas official Abdul-Rahman Shadeed accused Israeli authorities of converting Hebron into a military zone and imposing a siege on its residents to tighten control over the West Bank. Hamas warned that these actions could intensify Palestinian resistance and urged residents to increase their presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque to protect it from further Israeli plans.