Israeli settlers storm Ibrahimi Mosque as Palestinians barred

Israeli settlers entered the historic Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron while Israeli forces kept the site closed to Palestinian worshippers, reported Al Jazeera citing local sources.

Israeli troops cordoned off the area around the mosque and enforced a total entry ban on Palestinians for the second straight day.

Located in Hebron's Old City, the Ibrahimi Mosque holds deep religious significance for both Muslims and Jews, who know it as the Cave of the Patriarchs. Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, the city was divided into two sectors, placing the holy site inside the Israeli-controlled H2 zone.

The site has long remained a flashpoint in the conflict. In 1994, Israeli-American settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire on Muslim worshippers inside the mosque, killing 29 people, which led authorities to divide the space into separate Muslim and Jewish prayer areas.

Tensions around religious structures across the West Bank have escalated significantly this year. Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli forces and settlers damaged or burned at least 13 mosques and disrupted the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque 155 times.

The latest intrusion and restriction on worshippers have reignited fierce debates over access rights and control of the historic sanctuary.

-SA