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WAFA reported that dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday under heavy protection from Israeli security forces. The group entered the eastern area opposite the Dome of the Rock in the courtyards of the mosque. The Palestinian news agency identified Yehuda Glick as the leader of the group. WAFA described the entry as one of repeated incursions at the site that have occurred amid broader tensions in Jerusalem.
The incident matches a pattern of similar visits that WAFA has documented over recent years. Israeli security forces maintained a presence throughout the action that allowed the group to conduct the rituals. The agency noted that such events have continued despite longstanding sensitivities surrounding access to the compound, which is administered by the Jordanian Islamic Waqf while Israel controls overall security.
A Reuters dispatch from August 2025 detailed a comparable visit in which National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined more than 1,250 participants at the site. That earlier episode also involved prayers and other activities that drew condemnation from Palestinian officials and the Waqf. Reuters noted that the compound remains a longstanding flashpoint where visits by Israeli officials or groups frequently escalate regional tensions.
A timeline maintained by the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs records multiple attempts by Jewish settler groups to access the Al-Aqsa compound dating back to the 1990s. Entries have often coincided with Jewish holidays or political events and have been escorted by Israeli police. The society’s compilation shows that such incidents have persisted across decades with varying degrees of participation and official involvement.
WAFA has consistently framed these visits as violations against Palestinian holy sites and part of ongoing escalation. The agency’s coverage of Thursday’s events aligns with its reporting on previous episodes in which groups performed religious practices inside the courtyards. Palestinian authorities have repeatedly called for an end to the practice that they say undermines the historical Islamic character of the location.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is revered by Muslims as Islam’s third-holiest site and by Jews as the location of the ancient Temple Mount. Access protocols have been in place since 1967 to regulate entry by non-Muslims. WAFA’s account of the latest incursion did not include immediate statements from Israeli authorities on the purpose or scale of the visit.
