In occupied Jerusalem, around 1,200 Israeli settlers circled the entrances to Al‑Aqsa Mosque, calling for the demolition of the holy site and the construction of a so‑called "Third Temple" in its place. The march, marked by religious rituals and chants urging the mosque’s destruction, was organised by extremist Temple Mount groups and openly supported by Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben‑Gvir.

Leading the march, Rabbi Yossi Flay hailed the large turnout as a sign of “growing awareness” of the site’s importance, declaring it a moment of “great happiness.” The event has intensified fears of an imposed temporal and spatial division of Al‑Aqsa Mosque, with growing concerns that Israeli authorities are using current regional and international instability to advance longstanding aims at the compound.

Observers warn that repeated incursions and provocative rallies around Al‑Aqsa risk sparking serious unrest across Jerusalem and the wider occupied territories. The continued lack of effective international response, despite clear violations of sacred sites, has only emboldened such actions, heightening the prospect of dangerous escalation in one of the world’s most sensitive flashpoints.