More than 2,300 Israelis storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

National Security Minister Ben-Gvir joins settlers and far-right groups at holy site under heavy police protection.Published On 23 Jul 202623 Jul 2026More than 2,300 Israeli settlers and members of far-right groups have stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in one of the largest incursions this year as they mark a Jewish holiday, Palestinian officials say.Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also entered the site under heavy police protection on Thursday for Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning that marks the destruction twice of an ancient Jewish temple believed to have stood at the site known to Muslims as Al-Aqsa and to Jews as the Temple Mount.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Israel bans Jerusalem’s grand mufti from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one weeklist 2 of 3Israeli prosecutors charge six settlers after West Bank mosque attacklist 3 of 3Key takeaways from Khalil al-Hayya’s first speech as Hamas leaderend of listThe Palestinian administration of the Jerusalem governorate said the number of Israelis entering the site was expected to keep rising until sundown, perhaps reaching 5,000, which would exceed the numbers recorded i...