Palestinian ministry reports 27 Al-Aqsa Mosque intrusions by Israeli settlers in last month

The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said it has recorded 27 Israeli settler intrusions into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the last month.

The ministry said in its monthly report that Israeli settlers accompanied by Israeli forces stormed the site, performed Talmudic rituals and dances, and offered plant sacrifices within the mosque courtyards in October.

It noted the involvement of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, along with a number of Knesset members, in at least one raid in the last month,

The ministry said that Ben Gvir has staged 13 invasions of the complex since he assumed office in 2022, including 10 times since Israel launched its genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

The Jerusalem Governorate said a total of 465 settlers entered the courtyards in what it called "provocative tours". 

Incursions into the mosque complex by Israeli settlers and forces have become nearly daily, with a marked surge during Jewish and national holidays.

In October, a report by Israeli monitor the Ir Amim Association accused the Israeli government of of directly violating the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that its continued control constitutes a dangerous escalation.

The status quo is defined by a set of rules and regulations considered a binding international norm and long recognised by world powers. It designates Al-Aqsa Mosque as an exclusively Islamic site, where only Muslims are permitted to worship.