More than 3,200 Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Israelis pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Photo: Al Jazeera

More than 3,200 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish holiday and commemorate what they call the “destruction of the Temple,” according to the Jerusalem Governorate. The entry took place under police protection, while Muslim access to the holy site was restricted and several worshippers were detained, Anadolu Agency reports.

The large-scale action on July 23, 2026, was led by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset member Amit Halevi.

According to the Jerusalem Governorate, Israeli security forces admitted the settlers in groups of 150, allowing them to perform Talmudic rituals and sing loudly in the eastern part of the compound. Israeli police were deployed throughout the mosque grounds, blocking Palestinians from entering and using force against residents of the Old City.

The Jerusalem Governorate condemned the incident, describing the minister’s participation as a “dangerous escalation” and a “flagrant violation” of the historical and legal status quo. The Governorate added that it marked a “dangerous shift” from attacks by extremist groups to the Israeli government’s official adoption of such “invalid and illegitimate” actions.

As a reminder, Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

As the UOJ reported, the Israeli authorities decided to transfer responsibility for guarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque to religious Jews.

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