Israeli settlers, under the protection of Israeli police, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem today.
Reports indicate that settlers entered the mosque in organized groups, while the Israeli police heavily secured the Old City, deploying hundreds of officers at close intervals, particularly around the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the entrances to the Old City.
These measures included restrictions on worshippers entering the area.
This incident is part of a broader and ongoing tension surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a site of immense religious significance.
Al-Aqsa, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam, and it is also revered in Judaism as the site of the two ancient Temples, making it a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The status of the mosque has long been a sensitive issue, with periodic escalations often leading to violence.
Under a long-standing agreement, Jews are allowed to visit the compound but not to pray there.
However, increasing numbers of settler groups, often with police escort, have been entering the mosque compound, a move seen by many Palestinians and the broader Muslim world as a provocation and an attempt to change the status quo.
In preparation for commemorating what they refer to as the “destruction of the Temple,” settler groups have organized a human chain around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, set to take place tomorrow. This event will begin at the Western Wall and proceed towards the Old City, reaching the Gate of the Prophet David, and will include a flag march.
These groups are also planning what they claim will be the largest storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday to mark the anniversary.
This planned event has raised concerns about potential escalations in violence, as previous incidents of this nature have often sparked wider confrontations in Jerusalem and across the Palestinian territories.
