Al‑Aqsa Mosque breached by thousands of Israeli settlers during Temple Mount commemoration

Over a week in late July, more than 5,400 Israeli settlers entered the precincts of Al‑Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, with the highest single‑day influx of 4,248 on Thursday, the day marked by the so‑called “Temple Mount destruction” remembrance.

The incursions were backed by Israeli security forces and featured participation by Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Knesset members, rabbis and settlement leaders. Police installed a permanent umbrella structure in the mosque’s eastern courtyard to serve settlers, a measure described by Palestinian officials as unprecedented since 1967.

Simultaneously, Israeli authorities tightened controls on Muslim worshippers, limiting entry, checking identities, imposing age restrictions and closing several doors, with reports that some were told the day was “for Jews.” Palestinian officials and the Al‑Aqsa Mosque’s clergy condemned the actions as violations of international law and an attempt to alter the status quo.