Israeli Minister Visits Holy Site Amid Gaza Violence, 27 Dead

Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the contentious Al Aqsa Mosque site in Jerusalem on Sunday, provoking regional condemnation as hospitals in the Gaza Strip reported that 27 Palestinians seeking food aid were killed by Israeli fire. This visit has raised concerns that it could exacerbate existing tensions in a region already grappling with humanitarian crises and military conflict.

The Al Aqsa Mosque, known as the Temple Mount to Jews, is a site of profound significance for both Judaism and Islam. Under longstanding guidelines, Jews are permitted to visit but not to pray at the site. Ben-Gvir’s actions, including open prayer, are viewed as a serious provocation. The visit coincided with the release of distressing videos by Hamas depicting emaciated Israeli hostages, intensifying pressure on the Israeli government to negotiate their release.

During his time at the holy site, Ben-Gvir advocated for the annexation of the Gaza Strip, urging for measures that would encourage Palestinians to leave. This rhetoric has been criticized for complicating efforts toward a ceasefire and peace negotiations. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the norms governing the holy site would not change, despite the provocative nature of Ben-Gvir’s actions.

The repercussions of the visit were felt immediately, as Palestinian leaders and neighboring countries condemned it as incitement. Sufian Qudah, a spokesman for Jordan’s foreign ministry, described Ben-Gvir’s actions as “provocative incursions” and called for Israel to prevent further escalation.

In Gaza, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Hospitals reported that 27 individuals were killed while seeking food aid, with witnesses describing chaotic scenes as desperate crowds surged toward distribution sites. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed that one of its staff members was killed when Israeli forces shelled their office. The health ministry in Gaza indicated that malnutrition-related deaths among adults have reached 82 in the past five weeks, with 93 children also reported to have died from similar causes since the onset of the ongoing conflict.

As the violence continues, protests erupted globally, with around 90,000 demonstrators marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, expressing opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Eyewitness accounts from Gaza reveal a pattern of deadly violence at aid sites, where individuals seeking food have faced gunfire from Israeli forces. Yousef Abed, a witness, described the harrowing experience of witnessing people bleeding on the ground while being unable to assist them due to the threat of gunfire. The United Nations reported that 859 individuals were killed near food distribution points between May 27 and July 31, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The war in Gaza commenced on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel. The conflict has since escalated, with the Israeli military’s retaliatory actions leading to significant casualties in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the death toll continues to rise, although Israel disputes these figures without providing an alternative count.

As the situation unfolds, the international community is closely monitoring the developments, with increasing calls for a resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.