Hundreds of Jewish settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem after the start of the Jewish religious festival Tisha B’Av. Among them was Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who also entered the compound under heavy Israeli security. According to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, more than 2,300 settlers took part in the incursion. Palestinian officials said Israeli forces imposed strict restrictions at the mosque gates, preventing many Palestinian worshippers and students from entering and assaulting several of them.

The Palestinian administration in the Jerusalem Governorate described Ben-Gvir’s visit as a dangerous escalation, saying it showed direct support from the Israeli government for actions previously carried out by extremist right-wing groups. Jordan and Hamas both issued strong condemnations of the incident. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry warned that such actions violate the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites and urged international pressure on Israel to stop these violations. Hamas said the aggression would bring consequences upon the occupying forces and settlers, vowing that Palestinians would not remain silent in the face of such desecration.