On Monday morning, dozens of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under heavy protection from Israeli police, according to local authorities and Islamic institutions in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

The Jordanian-run Islamic Waqf Department reported that the settlers entered through the Moroccan Gate in groups and conducted provocative tours inside the mosque courtyards. Witnesses said the settlers performed Talmudic rituals in the eastern section of the compound and made statements regarding the so-called “Temple.”

The Waqf highlighted that Israeli forces continue to restrict the access of Muslims and Jerusalem residents to the mosque, enforcing identification checks at entrances.

According to data from the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, over 10,820 settlers visited Al-Aqsa in October alone. Islamic institutions and community leaders have called on residents of Jerusalem and occupied Palestinian territories to mobilize and gather at Al-Aqsa, aiming to thwart settler incursions.

Al-Aqsa continues to face daily incursions by settlers under police protection, except on Fridays and Saturdays. Analysts note that these actions aim to establish control over the mosque and gradually divide it both spatially and temporally.

“The ongoing attempts to take control of Al-Aqsa pose a direct challenge to the sanctity of the site and the rights of worshippers,” local observers stated.

This latest incident underscores the heightened tensions in Jerusalem and the persistent confrontations over one of Islam’s holiest sites.(ILKHA)