Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque amid escalating violations

QUDS, April 13 (YPA) – Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday morning through the Moroccan Gate, under heavy protection from Israeli forces, performing Talmudic rituals—particularly in the eastern areas and near the Dome of the Rock.

The incursion comes a day after Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Mosque compound alongside what are known as “Temple groups,” in what observers described as part of a growing pattern of violations.

According to the Islamic Waqf Department, Ben-Gvir’s latest entry marks his 156th since taking office in 2023, reflecting what it sees as continued targeting of the mosque’s identity.

These developments coincide with Israeli occupation authorities extending the duration of morning incursions to up to five continuous hours starting at 6:30 a.m., followed by an additional evening period—bringing total daily access time for settlers to around six and a half hours.

Israeli occupation forces are also reported to clear Palestinian worshippers from the site after dawn prayers to facilitate the incursions, in what is widely viewed as an attempt to impose a temporal and spatial division of the Mosque.