Who are the Jewish groups who enter Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound?

Over the past three decades, Israel has enforced greater control over the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, including by controlling who enters and exits, restricting Palestinian access, conducting violent raids inside, and increasingly facilitating the entry of Jewish hardline groups who, since 1967, have publicly stated their aim to take over the compound, destroy the Dome of the Rock, and build a third temple there.

Why is Al-Aqsa so significant?

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has said that one of the reasons for its operation against Israel is in response to the continuing provocations in Al-Aqsa.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in the world. It is also the most contested piece of territory in the Holy Land since Israel occupied East Jerusalem, including the Old City, in 1967, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, the conflict dates even further back, to before the creation of Israel.

The compound is important to both Muslims and Jews.

For Muslims, the Noble Sanctuary hosts Islam’s third holiest site, the al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock, a seventh-century structure believed to be where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

We are waging a battle of dignity to defend Al-Aqsa’: Hamas

We now have the statement by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, as promised earlier.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The enemy besieging Gaza has planned to surprise it and escalate the aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the settlement and aggression that continues every moment in the West Bank, which seeks to uproot our people and expel them from their land, and the crimes of the occupation against our people in the 1948s, as it stands behind all the killing and assassination operations there, and the occupation’s continuation of detaining our prisoners for decades, and reneging on agreements when he re-arrested those liberated from the swap deal.

“For all of this, we are waging a battle of honour, resistance and dignity to defend Al-Aqsa, under the title that was announced by Brother Commander-in-Chief Abu Khaled Al-Deif, “Al-Aqsa Flood”. This flood began in Gaza and will extend to the West Bank and abroad, and every place where our people and nation are present.”

Palestinians celebrate as an Israeli military vehicle burns after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, at the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border, on October 7, 2023

Airports close in southern and central Israel:

Local airports in central and southern Israel have been closed for commercial and leisurely use, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Operation surprised Israel: Hamas member

Hamas member Ezzat al-Rashq says the operation surprised Israel “in terms of time, place and planning”.

Why firing of long-range rockets by Hamas is important

The fact that Hamas decided to kick off the attack using long-range rockets is “very significant”.

“We usually see them being fired at the end of an escalation, as was the case in the previous major confrontation in 2021. So this operation is starting in the highest extent,”

“It is not just a threat or an attack sending warning messages. It is actually a sign that Hamas is carrying out an operation in the widest scale that they could,” other Palestinian factions in Gaza had also joined the battle.

Israeli military radio is reporting that Palestinian fighters from Gaza have “infiltrated” Israel.

There is also footage of Palestinian fighters taking Israelis hostage.

The commander of Hamas’s military wing has called on armed groups in Lebanon to join the fight against Israel.

Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza flee homes from areas bordering Israel

Hundreds of residents in the Gaza Strip have fled their homes to move away from the border with Israel.

Men, women and children were seen carrying blankets and food items as they left their homes, mostly in the northeastern part of the Palestinian territory.

People here in Gaza have already been living under an Israeli blockade for 17 years. There is a common sense of fear and great worry. There are around 2.3 million people living here, and thousands of overcrowded refugee camps. This means that every air strike, targeting neighbourhoods, subjected to destruction.

Four dead in southern Israeli town.

Long Live Palestine!

Palestinian fighters enter Israel and thousands of rockets are fired as Hamas launches large-scale operation.

According to an unofficial report, approximately 750 israelis are currently missing, while 300 are confirmed dead.

ALL OUT FOR THE RESISTANCE, ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE! 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Local protests and actions for Palestine in the wake of the latest unprecedented wave of resistance.

NYC ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Times Square
Broadway & 42nd St
1 PM, October 8

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RALLY FOR RETURN: ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Corner of Brookhurst St and Brookmore Ave
Anaheim, CA
12 PM, October 8

OTTAWA ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

220 Elgin St
Ottawa
2 PM, October 8

TORONTO ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Nathan Phillips Square
Toronto
2 PM, October 9

BAY AREA ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Zionist Consulate
456 Montgomery St
San Francisco
4-6 PM, October 8

MANCHESTER SUPPORTS THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester, UK
1 PM, October 8

MONTREAL ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE! 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Dorchester Square
Montreal
2 PM, October 8

ATLANTA RALLY FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Israeli Consulate
1100 Spring St NW
Atlanta
1 PM, October 8

DALLAS ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Grassy Knoll
Dallas
3 PM, October 8

DMV ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
1 PM, October 8

BOSTON RALLY AND MARCH FOR PALESTINE!

Cambridge City Hall
Monday, October 9 at 4PM

JUST IN: 22,318 israel domains down. 🔥🔥

A country with such people will never be defeated

FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸

GHOSTS of Palestine 🇵🇸

Hiigh school in San Francisco.