Hamas condemns the decision by Israeli occupation authorities to ban Sheikh Ekrima Sabri from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, stressing that such policy will not dissuade the Palestinian people from defending the al-Aqsa Mosque along with all sacred sites.

We salute Sheikh Sabri, the preacher of al-Aqsa Mosque, and we realise that Israeli measures against him and Jerusalem’s Palestinian scholars and residents will not discourage them from fight off the Israeli occupation and ongoing attacks against their city and holy sites.

Hamas hails the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem for defending their city, reiterating that all Israeli measures will not change Jerusalem’s Arab and Palestinian identity and that Jerusalem will remain the capital of Palestine.