Tensions rose sharply in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday after a group of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Friday hours, marking what Islamic authorities described as an unprecedented development.

Officials from the Islamic Waqf administration said the group forced its way into the site after reportedly assaulting two mosque guards stationed near one of the entrances. According to the Waqf, nine settlers entered through the Al-Ghawanmeh Gate and reached the courtyards surrounding the Qibli prayer hall while carrying plant-based ritual offerings.

The incident triggered widespread anger and anxiety inside the holy compound, where worshippers and staff viewed the entry as a deliberate provocation at one of Islam’s most sensitive religious sites. Witnesses described a heavy atmosphere of tension across the sanctuary following the intrusion.

Israeli settler groups have regularly pushed for expanded access to the compound in recent years, but Friday has traditionally remained excluded because of the large number of Muslim worshippers attending weekly prayers. The latest entry came after extremist organisations linked to the so-called “Temple movement” publicly demanded that settler incursions be extended to Fridays as well.

Palestinian religious authorities and local residents have repeatedly warned that continued attempts to alter the long-standing status quo at the site risk inflaming the situation further across Jerusalem and the occupied territories.