Maldives urges global action after Israeli officials storm Al‑Aqsa Mosque

The Maldives government on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound by an Israeli minister and accompanying soldiers.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and a group of soldiers entered the Al‑Aqsa compound on Monday. Prior to the incursion, Israeli forces had barred Muslims from entering the mosque. Ben‑Gvir then entered the compound with troops, despite the site being closed to Muslim worshippers for days.

The mosque has remained inaccessible to Muslims since February 28, when Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran, with Israeli authorities citing “security reasons” for the closure.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry described the actions as a flagrant violation of international law and a deliberate act of aggression aimed at undermining the legal, historical, and religious status of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque.

Statement by the Government of Maldives strongly Condemning the Storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli officials

???? | https://t.co/ttFkwhikp1 pic.twitter.com/3WW5HoGB1d

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs ???????? (@MoFAmv) April 7, 2026

The ministry said preventing Palestinians from accessing the mosque, along with repeated violations by occupying forces, infringes on the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. “It is a huge attack on the feelings of all Muslims around the world,” the statement read.

The government also called on the international community to take immediate and decisive action to stop Israel from committing inhumane acts that disrespect one of the most sacred sites of the Islamic Ummah, and to hold Israel accountable.