DaysofPal — Hundreds of Jewish settlers breached the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Thursday morning under heavy armed guard from Israeli police and special forces.
According to local Jerusalemite sources, the settlers stormed the sanctuary in organized groups through the Mughrabi Gate—which has remained under total Israeli control since 1967.
Once inside, they performed Talmudic rituals directly facing the Dome of the Rock Mosque, specifically conducting what is known as “epic prostration.”
Furthermore, witnesses reported that settler groups carried out provocative tours across the compound, dancing and singing loudly under explicit police protection.
The incursions follow explicit calls issued by far-right settler organizations urging followers to storm the site on Thursday in observance of Tisha B’Av (“the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple”), which falls on the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av.
The Talmudic rituals performed in the holy compound included wearing Tefillin (phylacteries), chanting aloud, and executing full-body prostration along the eastern side of the mosque complex.
In an official statement on Thursday morning, the Jerusalem Governorate confirmed that more than 900 settlers had entered the Al-Aqsa courtyards. The Governorate noted that Israeli occupation authorities deliberately allowed the size of each entering group to expand to roughly 150 individuals.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces enforced severe restrictions around the gates of Al-Aqsa and across the Old City of Jerusalem. Heavy military deployments were stationed throughout the mosque’s courtyards to actively prevent Palestinian worshippers from entering.
Consequently, only a very limited number of worshippers managed to reach Al-Aqsa for the dawn (Fajr) prayer before Israeli forces assaulted several Palestinian citizens at the site.
The Temple Movement organizations had intensified mobilization campaigns over recent days in preparation for Thursday’s mass storming, viewing Tisha B’Av as a central occasion to push their agenda. Through these annual mass incursions, extremist groups aim to establish a permanent presence and reinforce calls to construct the third temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
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