Hundreds of settlers, including Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday under the protection of occupation police forces.

The Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds reported that 2,200 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque since morning, marking what is known as the anniversary of the "destruction of the temple."

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine indicated that the settlers raised the entity's flag inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at Bab al-Silsila while carrying out provocative tours inside the holy mosque.

During the storming, occupation forces obstructed Palestinian worshipers from entering the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, deploying large forces at its gates to facilitate the settlers’ actions. 

The occupation police transformed the Old City of occupied al-Quds into a heavily fortified military zone, deploying hundreds of officers at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque. They enforced stringent military measures at both the mosque’s entrances and throughout the Old City.

Hundreds of Israeli settlers headed by hard-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir broke into the courtyards of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday and performed Talmudic rituals there, while being backed by well-armed Israeli forces. pic.twitter.com/3JA7XzFdHT

— Palestine Info Center (@palinfoen) August 13, 2024

The Palestinian presidency held "Israel" accountable for the dangerous provocations at Al-Aqsa, urging the US administration to intervene and pressure the occupation government to cease the settlers' provocations. It emphasized that Washington must act to halt the aggression in Gaza and the West Bank to prevent the region from spiraling into uncontrollable violence.

Hard-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir performs a provocative song along with other fanatics as they tour the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/rfAvwZ5rEr

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 13, 2024

10 months of war on Gaza

The storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque coincides with over 10 months of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in tens of thousands of martyrs and injuries. Additionally, it aligns with a surge in Israeli attacks on West Bank cities, which have claimed hundreds of lives amid the ongoing war.

Last month, Ben-Gvir and a bandwagon of settlers stormed the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque on July 18, under heavy protection from Israeli police officers and occupation forces.

Ben-Gvir made his way into the compound through the al-Magharba gate and walked through the eastern quarter, accompanied by a large number of Israeli officers. Concurrently, Israeli authorities banned all Muslim worshipers from entering the compound.

This was the third time that Ben-Gvir provoked Palestinians in less than a year by storming the holy site with other Israeli settlers under IOF protection.

On a related note, earlier this month, the Israeli occupation banned occupied al-Quds' Grand Mufti and preacher of the al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, from entering Palestine's holiest mosque for six months. 

Sheikh Sabri's defense attorney, lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, said the occupation's court issued the decision on Thursday, following his detention and release last Friday. 

He was arrested on August 2 after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided his home in the al-Sawana neighborhood in occupied al-Quds and was taken to the Israeli al-Moskobiya (Moscovia) detention center in the city.