Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque to mark Passover

Illegal settlers enter flashpoint site to mark 2nd day of Passover holiday

Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers forced their way on Monday into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem to mark the second day of the Jewish Passover holiday. In a statement, the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said 765 illegal settlers entered the flashpoint site in groups under the protection of Israeli police through the Al-Mugharbah Gate area, west of the holy mosque. The agency said that nearly 500 illegal settlers stormed the mosque on the first day of Passover on Sunday. Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses, is considered one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, illegal settlers raided the mosque 21 times last month, when Muslims celebrated the holy month of Ramadan. Figures released by the Jerusalem governor showed that 13,064 illegal settlers stormed the mosque in the first quarter of 2025. Since 2003, Israel has allowed illegal settlers into the flashpoint compound almost on a daily basis with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.