Today, Jewish extremists stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, escorted by Israeli police.
The provocative incursion took place amid heightened security measures imposed by Israeli forces throughout the Old City.
According to the Islamic Waqf Department, dozens of hardline settlers entered the Al-Aqsa compound in groups through the Moroccan Gate, engaging in religious rituals within the mosque’s courtyards under heavy police protection.
The Israeli police turned the Old City into a military zone, deploying hundreds of officers at close intervals, particularly around the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the entrances to the Old City. These measures included restricting the entry of Palestinian worshippers.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, and its compound, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.
While Jewish prayer at the site is prohibited by a longstanding agreement, visits by Jewish groups, especially those advocating for increased Jewish access to the site, often lead to tensions and clashes.
The frequent incursions by Jewish extremists, often escorted by Israeli police, are viewed by Palestinians and much of the Muslim world as attempts to change the status quo of the site, leading to fears of further encroachment on the holy site.
These actions have sparked widespread condemnation and protests, contributing to the cycle of violence and unrest in the region.
This latest incident adds to the growing tensions, as such actions are often seen as provocations that inflame the already volatile situation in Jerusalem.
The city remains a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming it as their capital.
