Ben-Gvir Storms Aqsa Mosque as 676 Settlers Raid Compound During Yom Kippur

Al-Quds, MINA – Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the courtyards of Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Sunday evening under heavy Israeli police protection, performing Talmudic rituals in the eastern part of the Mosque compound amid an escalation in settler incursions during the Jewish holiday season, the Palestinian Information Center reports.

The Jerusalem Governorate said Ben-Gvir broke into Aqsa under tight security as settler incursions into the Mosque continued to intensify around Yom Kippur and other Jewish holidays.

His incursion came hours after approximately 676 Jewish settlers forced their way into the Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday morning under the protection of Israeli police and special forces. Some performed Talmudic prayers and rituals inside the courtyards.

Earlier, settlers had also performed prayers and rituals outside Bab al-Rahma, along the eastern wall of the Mosque, following calls by Jewish groups to gather there for the prayers known as “Selichot.”

The escalation comes during the Jewish holiday season, which began with Rosh Hashanah on September 12 and 13 and continues with Yom Kippur on September 21, followed by Sukkot from September 26 to October 2 and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah on October 3.

These periods typically see an increase in the number of Jewish settlers entering Aqsa, accompanied by increased performance of Jewish prayers and rituals inside and around the Mosque compound.

According to the Jerusalem Governorate, approximately 9,820 settlers stormed Aqsa during Jewish holidays in 2025. During the period settlers refer to as the anniversary of the “destruction of the Temple,” the number increased from around 2,200 in 2022 and 2023 to approximately 3,000 in 2024 and nearly 4,000 in 2025.

The increase has not been limited to religious holidays. Governorate figures show that 40,661 Jewish settlers raided Aqsa between the beginning of 2026 and the end of August, including 5,209 in August.

During the first half of the year, 25,604 settlers stormed the compound, while another 24,912 people entered under the designation of “tourism.”

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned Ben-Gvir’s incursion, saying his entry into Aqsa alongside settlers and under Israeli police protection constituted a violation of the Mosque’s sanctity and an attempt to impose a new reality and alter its historical and legal status quo.

The ministry said the continuing incursions and practices violate international laws and conventions, calling on the international community, human rights organizations, and Arab and Muslim countries to pressure Israeli authorities to halt them.

It stressed that the entire 144-dunum Aqsa Mosque compound belongs exclusively to Muslims and “cannot be divided or shared.”

Ben-Gvir’s incursion coincided with other Israeli activities in Occupied Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Buraq Wall area on Saturday evening alongside several government ministers and thousands of Israelis under tight security ahead of Yom Kippur.

The incident came amid increased Jewish religious activity around Aqsa and calls by Jewish groups to organize gatherings and rituals in its vicinity, while Israeli police continue to provide security for settlers entering the Mosque compound.

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs documented 280 incursions into Aqsa Mosque during 2025, some accompanied by Talmudic rituals inside its courtyards under the protection of Israeli forces.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)