Jerusalem: Dozens of Israeli colonists entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday under heavy protection from Israeli security forces, according to the Islamic Waqf authority in Jerusalem. The Jordanian-run authority detailed that these actions involved entering through the Mughrabi Gate, touring the courtyards, and performing Talmudic rituals near the Bab Al Rahma area on the eastern side of the mosque.

According to Qatar News Agency, around 15 members of Israeli intelligence services were also present within the Al-Aqsa compound during this incident. The authority noted that restrictions were imposed on Palestinian worshippers, with tightened access to the mosque. Worshippers and Jerusalem residents reportedly had their identities confiscated at the outer gates, further intensifying the situation.

The event is part of what Palestinian officials describe as a continuous escalation by colonist groups, who regularly enter the Al-Aqsa compound almost daily, excluding Fridays and Saturdays, during designated morning and afternoon periods. Palestinian authorities and religious organizations assert that these actions are intended to enforce a temporal and spatial division of the site. The Al-Aqsa Mosque remains one of Islam's holiest sites and a persistent focal point of tension between Israelis and Palestinians.