According to the Wafa news agency, under the protection of Israeli soldiers, settlers streamed into the mosque’s compound to tour the grounds and perform Talmudic rituals. The mosque is considered Islam’s third-holiest site.

According to Al-Jazeera, settlers – usually under the eye of the military – have made a regular habit of storming the mosque in recent years, despite the Israeli government’s longstanding ban on Jews praying there.

In 2024, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a crowd of thousands into the mosque, and also claimed he would build a Jewish synagogue at the compound if he could, the report added.

MNA