logo
Israel issues week-long ban on Grand Mufti of Jerusalem from Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel issues week-long ban on Grand Mufti of Jerusalem from Al-Aqsa Mosque

Ammon17 hours ago
Ammon News - Israeli occupation forces have issued an order banning the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of extension, following a summons for interrogation earlier today.
Sheikh Hussein told WAFA that he was summoned by Israeli intelligence for questioning at a center in Jerusalem's Old City. The interrogation came in the wake of his Friday sermon at Al-Aqsa Mosque, in which he condemned Israel's policy of starvation against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The Grand Mufti confirmed that he was handed an official expulsion order barring him from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a renewable period of seven days. He also stated that he refused to sign the order. WAFA
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Two-state solution back in focus at UN peace summit
Two-state solution back in focus at UN peace summit

Roya News

time5 hours ago

  • Roya News

Two-state solution back in focus at UN peace summit

A high-level international conference aimed at charting a concrete path toward a two-state solution is set to convene at the United Nations headquarters in New York from July 28 to 29, 2025. Co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, the event, formally titled the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, was initially scheduled for June but postponed due to escalating violence in Gaza. A major objective is securing broader international recognition of Palestinian statehood, a point emphasized by co-chairs France and Saudi Arabia. French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced France will formally recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, making it the first G7 nation to do so. Despite broad international support, with over 140 UN member states already recognizing Palestine, the United States has opposed the conference, calling it 'counterproductive' to ongoing negotiations aimed at halting the war in Gaza and securing the release of "Israeli" captives. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have released statements ahead of the summit, urging states to focus on ending "Israel's" genocide, 'unlawful occupation,' and 'apartheid' in Gaza. They call for a permanent ceasefire, the lifting of the siege, and full accountability for international crimes.

Houthis announce military escalation, begin fourth phase of ‘Israel' blockade
Houthis announce military escalation, begin fourth phase of ‘Israel' blockade

Roya News

time8 hours ago

  • Roya News

Houthis announce military escalation, begin fourth phase of ‘Israel' blockade

Yemen's Armed Forces, led by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement, announced Sunday the launch of a new phase in their military operations targeting "Israel"-linked maritime activity, in response to the continued genocide in Gaza. In a statement delivered by military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the group said it would begin Phase Four of its naval blockade, targeting all ships belonging to any company that deals with "Israeli" ports, regardless of nationality or destination. The escalation comes amid what Saree described as 'unprecedented and horrific massacres' committed by the Israeli Occupation in Gaza, and 'shameful Arab, Islamic, and international silence.' He said the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza imposes a religious, moral, and human responsibility on Yemen. The statement warned that any company continuing to operate with "Israeli" ports would see its vessels 'targeted anywhere they can be reached by our missiles and drones.' Saree emphasized that the Yemeni military's actions were a reflection of its 'moral and humanitarian commitment to the oppressed Palestinian people.' He added that all military operations would immediately cease upon a full end to the war on Gaza and the lifting of the blockade. The Houthis called on all countries to pressure "Israel" to halt its aggression and siege on Gaza, saying, 'No free person on this earth can accept what is happening.'

Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel says opening aid routes
Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel says opening aid routes

Jordan Times

time9 hours ago

  • Jordan Times

Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel says opening aid routes

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — The Israeli military said it had also begun airdropping food into the Palestinian territory, making one drop of seven palettes, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected what he characterised as UN "lies" that his government was to blame for the dire humanitarian situation. The army also dismissed allegations that it had been using starvation as a weapon, saying it had coordinated with the UN and international agencies to "increase the scale of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip". UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher welcomed the tactical pauses, saying he was in "contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window". But the UN's World Food Programme said a third of the population of Gaza had not eaten for days, and 470,000 people were "enduring famine-like conditions" that were already leading to deaths. The Israeli decision came as international pressure mounted on Netanyahu's government to head off the risk of mass starvation in the territory. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined the chorus of concern on Sunday, urging Netanyahu "to provide the starving civilian population in Gaza with urgently needed humanitarian aid now." Accusing the UN of fabricating "pretexts and lies about Israel" blocking aid, Netanyahu said in remarks at an airbase that "there are secure routes" for aid. "There have always been, but today it's official. There will be no more excuses," he added. Since Israel imposed a total blockade on aid entering Gaza on March 2, the situation inside the territory has deteriorated sharply. More than 100 NGOs warned this week of "mass starvation". Though aid has trickled back in since late May, the UN and humanitarian agencies say Israeli restrictions remain excessive and road access inside Gaza is tightly controlled. The charity Oxfam's regional policy chief Bushra Khalidi called Israel's latest moves a "welcome first step" but warned they could prove insufficient. "Starvation won't be solved by a few trucks or airdrops," she said. "What's needed is a real humanitarian response: ceasefire, full access, all crossings open, and a steady, large-scale flow of aid into Gaza. "We need a permanent ceasefire, a complete lifting of the siege." In general, humanitarian officials are deeply sceptical airdrops can deliver enough food safely to tackle the hunger crisis facing Gaza's more than two million inhabitants. In Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa district, 30-year-old Suad Ishtaywi said her "life's wish" was to simply feed her children. She spoke of her husband returning empty-handed from aid points daily. Chaotic scenes broke out at the site where Israel conducted its first food drop, witnesses told AFP. Samih Humeid, a 23-year-old from the Al-Karama neighbourhood of Gaza City, said dozens of people had gathered to rush towards the palettes of supplies parachuted onto the area. "It felt like a war, everyone trying to grab whatever they could. Hunger is merciless. The quantities were extremely limited, not enough even for a few people, because hunger is everywhere. I only managed to get three cans of fava beans," he said. In a social media post, the Israeli military announced it had "carried out an airdrop of humanitarian aid as part of the ongoing efforts to allow and facilitate the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip". AFP journalists saw Egyptian trucks crossing from Rafah, with cargo routed through Israel's Kerem Shalom checkpoint for inspection before entering Gaza. The Israeli army's daily pause from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm will be limited to areas where its troops are not currently operating al Mawasi in the south, central Deir el-Balah and Gaza City in the north. Israel said "designated secure routes" would also open across Gaza for aid convoys carrying food and medicine. The military said the measures should disprove "the false claim of deliberate starvation". Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, citing "reasonable grounds" to suspect war crimes including starvation -- charges Israel vehemently denies.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store