Hundreds of Israelis storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

What the report says

Hundreds of Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera’s report, as the Jewish holiday of Sukkot continued. The article said the visits took place under Israeli police protection and included prayer, chanting and other religious rituals that Palestinian and Islamic authorities described as violating the long-standing status quo at the site.

Al Jazeera, citing Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf Department, said about 700 Israelis took part in the incursion, among them former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin. The report also said Israeli authorities restricted Palestinian Muslim access to the compound while easing movement for Israelis toward the Western Wall. The Jerusalem governorate said roads near the Lions’ Gate and the route toward Silwan were closed.

The compound, also known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, is one of the most sensitive religious sites in the region. Under the arrangement referenced in the report, the Waqf oversees administration of the site and it is intended for Muslim worship, while Jewish visitors are allowed entry under specific conditions.

Al Jazeera said the latest entry was part of a wider pattern of increased visits during the Jewish holiday season, with similar incidents reported earlier in the week. The development underscores recurring tensions around access, worship rights and Israeli control in East Jerusalem.