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History Illustrated: The war on Al-Aqsa redux

Hamas blames Israeli settlers for the ‘desecration’ of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, part of a series of provocations.

The war on Al-Aqsa redux
By Danylo Hawaleshka
Published On 16 Oct 2023

History Illustrated is a weekly series of insightful perspectives that puts news events and current affairs into historical context using graphics generated with artificial intelligence.

The war on Al-Aqsa redux
Hamas blames the current war with Israel, in part, on the recent “desecration” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers. These are provocations that have been going on for a long time.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
Earlier this year, during Ramadan, Muslims in Al-Aqsa were observing a religious ritual called itikaf.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
But Israeli police accused some worshippers of being “masked agitators”, so they stormed in with tear gas, viciously swinging batons.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
The assault resulted in international condemnation — and retaliatory rocket attacks on Israel from inside Gaza and southern Lebanon.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
Israel responded with an aerial barrage on Lebanon and Gaza — but many at the time asked, why was this happening?
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
Some said it would make it easier for hard-right Israeli settlers to enter Al-Aqsa compound, some of whom want the mosque torn down.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
Then on October 1, thousands of settlers started to conduct provocative tours of the mosque compound.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
On October 4, dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the compound, the third holiest site in Islam, while police prevented young Palestinians from entering the mosque.
The war on Al-Aqsa redux
In response to Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Israel seems ready for a massive ground invasion of Gaza, while the US has sent a second aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, leaving many people to wonder, when might all the death and destruction finally end?