Tuesday morning, following the dawn prayer, dozens of Muslim teens barricaded themselves in the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. According to an Israeli police report, police officers tried for several hours to convince the youth to exit the mosque peacefully but were eventually forced to enter the mosque and force the protesters, who carried rocks and fireworks, to leave.

Arab media outlets reacted in outrage to the clash, and overnight, Palestinian terror groups shot 10 rockets towards Israeli communities near Gaza. The IDF responded by attacking Hamas military targets in the Gaza strip.

This escalation in tensions occurs as Israelis and Jews all over the world prepare to celebrate the first night of Passover, one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar.

Please pray for a restoration of calm. Please pray for wisdom for Israeli leaders. Lastly, please pray for a peaceful and joyous Passover for all!