The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said that the Ibrahimi Mosque is still being subjected to serious and increasing violations by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers.

It added in a statement issued today, Tuesday, on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, that it is a Waqf property for Muslims alone and no decision, whatever it may be, will change this status, and that the Waqf is the one with the authority, control, and sovereignty over the mosque from the religious, administrative, and legal perspectives, which is what UNESCO confirmed in its decision to add the Ibrahimi Mosque to the World Heritage List.

The Awqaf pointed out that the Ibrahimi Mosque was subjected to 197 violations last year by the occupation and its settlers, including the occupation preventing the call to prayer from its minarets 674 times, and closing it to worshippers for 10 full days, while dozens of violations and attacks were carried out in it in various forms, such as excavation and inspection work, preventing reconstruction committees from carrying out their duties, and other attacks that indicate the extent of the fierce occupation attack on our holy sites.

She continued: The number of worshipers in the Ibrahimi Mosque during the year 2024 was only 236,530 worshipers. This number is considered less than expected due to the strict measures imposed by the occupation, including the closure of the entrances to the mosque since October 7, 2023. The occupation has intensified the checkpoints around it, and closed all its entrances, leaving only the market door, which has increased the difficulty of Palestinians reaching it. As a result of these measures, the occupation has created a state of fear among worshipers, especially with the continuation of the incursions and threats. This has obstructed the arrival of large numbers of worshipers.

She added that in a provocative move to Muslims’ feelings, and in a blatant violation of the sanctity of the religious site, 3,381 soldiers from the occupation army stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque during the past year. While the mosque received only 12,663 tourists during 2024. This limited number is partly due to restrictions on movement and the continued closure of the entrances to the mosque.

The Awqaf called on international and legal institutions to hold the occupation accountable for its crimes against mosques and places of worship and to expose these crimes in the media and internationally to deter it from all its crimes.

She also called on citizens to be constantly present at the Ibrahimi Mosque, to activate the guard there, and to develop a program for religious, cultural and social activities that would lead to the presence of Muslim worshippers there around the clock.