News - Middle East: The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has taken strong exception to Israeli excavations at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds, calling for an immediate halt to it.

In a statement on Thursday, the Gaza-based resistance movement said the excavation work in the vicinity of the al-Aqsa Mosque poses a serious threat to the mosque compound.

“The continued excavations being carried out by the Zionist occupation authorities in the areas of the Buraq Wall (also known as the Western Wall) and Umayyad Palace pose a direct threat to the foundations and walls of the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque, and are an attempt to obliterate the Islamic and historical identities of the city of al-Quds,” read the statement.

It further warned the apartheid regime of full responsibility for “repercussions of such serious violations”, while seeking the intervention of global organizations.

“We call on the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Kingdom of Jordan which has the custodianship of the al-Aqsa Mosque to urgently stop these malicious colonial schemes and protect al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque.”