Israeli settlers, troops break into Ibrahimi Mosque

Around 150 Israeli settlers, backed by Israeli soldiers, break into the Ibrahimi Mosque in the Ishakiyya area in al-Khalil (Hebron), in the West Bank.

Zeid al-Ja'bary, Head of the Waqf and Endowment department, said on Thursday that this was the first time the settlers had entered the mosque since the massacre carried out by Baroach Goldstein in 1994, killing 29 Muslim worshipers and wounding 150 others.

Al-Ja'bary warned that extremist settlers are trying to bar the Muslims from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque and are trying to transform it into a synagogue.

He added that since last week, the Israeli authorities have prohibited the Muslims from using loud speakers to call for prayers.

Israeli authorities had also closed the mosque on Saturday and Sunday, which was Eid al-Fitr, barring Muslims from performing prayers following a month of fasting in Ramadan.