Dozens of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday morning under heavy police protection, as access for Palestinian worshippers remained tightly controlled. According to local authorities responsible for the site, around 177 settlers moved through the courtyards after entering via the Mughrabi Gate, conducting guided tours that included religious narratives linked to the site.

During the visit, groups gathered in the eastern section of the compound, where they were seen performing ritual prayers. At the same time, Israeli police enforced strict entry measures on Palestinian worshippers, reportedly checking identification documents and restricting movement at the gates. Footage circulated online showed one settler encouraging further mobilisation, framing the presence at the site as part of a broader ideological effort to assert control.

The incidents come amid a continued pattern of near-daily entries to the compound, excluding Fridays and Saturdays, alongside growing limitations imposed on Muslim access. Observers note an increase in religious activities by settlers within the compound, particularly in areas where access is often restricted during such visits. In response, calls have intensified among Palestinians to maintain a consistent presence at the site through prayer and community gathering, seen as a means of resisting ongoing attempts to alter the status of the compound within the wider context of the ongoing genocidal war.