1758 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on the second day of Sukkot
Hundreds of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday, the second day of the Jewish Sukkot holiday, amid collective and public rituals and scattered Jewish prayers in its courtyards.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem reported that the number of intruders today reached 1,758, including 1,300 in the morning and 458 in the afternoon.
The incursion was led by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Knesset Member Yitzhak Krozor, and a number of senior rabbis, accompanied by a large force of occupation police.
Collective prayers and public rituals
National Security Minister Ben-Gvir led a loud collective prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the participation of a group of settlers in the eastern area, a few meters from the Bab al-Rahma prayer area.
The Information Center noted that Ben-Gvir has repeatedly raided Al-Aqsa Mosque since assuming his position, recording 12 raids since 2023. The center explained that in August 2024, the minister announced his intention to build a synagogue in the same location, and since then, the site has become a daily, public prayer point for settlers.
In June 2025, at his direct instruction, prayers expanded to include various parts of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and were performed collectively and with loud voices, in a scene unprecedented in the history of raids.
During today's raid, Ben-Gvir said:
"After two years of war, we are victorious in the Temple Mount. We are the owners of the house. We pray for complete victory in Gaza, the elimination of Hamas, and the return of the kidnapped soldiers."
Details of the violations and rituals
Settlers held their collective and public prayers throughout the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, performing collective rituals that included:
• Offering plant offerings in the eastern area (the four plants: citron, myrtle, willow, and palm frond buds).
• Singing and dancing while marching within the Al-Aqsa compound.
• Repeating public prayers in front of the Dome of the Rock.
• Walking along the usual route for raids: the Mughrabi Gate, the courtyards of the Al-Qibli Prayer Hall, the Al-Marwani Prayer Hall, the eastern area, and the northern and western arcades, with explanations of the alleged "Temple."
• Stopping repeatedly in all directions overlooking the Dome of the Rock to perform public prayers.
• The number of groups exceeded 170 settlers in each group, and the police announced their intention to allow a group of intruders every 10 minutes, with six groups of intruders allowed inside Al-Aqsa at one time.
• The sounds of singing and dancing by hundreds of settlers rose in Al-Aqsa during the incursions.
• Settlers also organized group marches and prayers at all the external gates of Al-Aqsa, amid a widespread presence of occupation forces. They carried plant offerings, and some raised the flag of the alleged Temple.
Imposing restrictions on the entry of Muslim
The occupation forces imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque. These restrictions included preventing young men and women from entering, restricting the seating of elderly people, and preventing them from being present in the path of the raids.
The forces also arrested two young women from the mosque and at its gates. One of them was released on condition of deportation, while the occupation forces continued to detain the second.
Raids at Al-Buraq Square
In Al-Buraq Square, tens of thousands of settlers prayed, carrying plant offerings, amid a heavy security presence.
Raids times
The raids took place in two periods: the morning from 7:00 to 11:30 a.m., and the afternoon from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. All raids took place through the Dung Gate, whose keys are fully controlled by the occupation authorities.
