Israeli soldiers have converted a mosque in the war-torn Rafah border region into a restaurant, sparking outrage.
A viral video that has surfaced on the internet purportedly shows some Israeli soldiers preparing meals inside the mosque located on the Rafah border which separates Gaza and Egypt.
The grand mosque was a significant place of worship for the local community. However, amid the conflict, the Israeli occupation authorities have now taken control of the site and converted it into a restaurant, denying the local population access to their place of worship.
Pertinently, the Israeli establish has a long history of blowing up mosques with airstrikes with little or no regard for the religious sentiments of the local population.
Over 1,000 mosques destroyed
Since October 7, Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have destroyed at least 1,000 mosques completely, according to local authorities.
Gaza’s ministry of endowments and religious affairs in a statement said, “The reconstruction of these mosques will cost around $500 million.”
In February, an Israeli soldier shared a video on Facebook of the bombardment of a mosque in Gaza, even though it was already severely damaged.
Last month, a video clip shared on social media showed an Israeli soldier tossing a copy of the Holy Quran into a fire in the Gaza Strip, which sparked widespread anger and condemnation from activists.
Several human rights organisations have urged the international community to take action to hold Israel accountable for its actions and to protect the religious and cultural rights of the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has instructed Palestine’s envoy to the UN to request an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the repercussions of the Israeli attacks on the central Gaza Strip.
He emphasised the urgent need for international intervention to halt the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank, adding that Israel continues to exploit “international silence and US support” to “perpetrate crimes” in the region.
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