Palestinian Authorities Warn of Imminent Israeli Forces and Settler Mass Incursions at Al-Aqsa

Palestinian authorities warned of an imminent escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque as Israeli forces and settler groups pressed for mass incursions into the compound.

“Jerusalem — A Palestinian official government report released today, Monday, revealed that more than four thousand Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque during April, after its opening on the ninth of the month following a forty-day closure”

Al-Jazeera Net

The al-Quds Governorate warned of “a blatant aggression by Israeli occupiers against Al-Aqsa Mosque” amid calls for “mass intrusions into the flashpoint site.”

Al-Jazeera Net

It said an extremist Israeli group calling itself “Temple Mount” has called for “mass intrusions by occupiers into the mosque on May 15 to mark the so-called ‘Jerusalem Day.’”

The governorate described the effort as an attempt “to impose a new reality within the mosque compound by publicly performing Talmudic rituals and raising Israeli flags.”

It decried the calls for mass intrusions as “a blatant act of aggression that is part of plans to Judaize al-Quds.”

The warning also framed Al-Aqsa as the “world's third-holiest site for Muslims,” while noting that Jews call the area Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

In parallel, the Palestinian Information Center said Temple Mount organizations launched a campaign demanding the imposition of the intrusion into Al-Aqsa on Friday, May 15, 2026, “on the anniversary of what is Hebrew-called Jerusalem Day.”

The campaign described by Palestinian media ties the planned Al-Aqsa intrusions to a specific calendar of religious and political symbolism.

The Palestinian Information Center said Temple Mount organizations, “in collaboration with Israeli political figures,” launched a broad campaign demanding the intrusion on Friday, May 15, 2026, “on the anniversary of what is Hebrew-called Jerusalem Day.”

Anadolu Ajansı

It said the date marks “the occupation of the eastern part of the city in 1967,” and described the campaign as seeking to “change the current reality at the Al-Aqsa Mosque by allowing settlers to storm it on Friday.”

The report said occupation police typically close the gates to intrusions on Fridays, and that the campaign aims to push against that pattern by mobilizing settlers for May 15.

It also linked the day to an escalation cycle, describing how it “typically witnesses a central intrusion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the morning, followed by the evening Flag Parade.”

The Palestinian Information Center further said the campaign’s moves included distributing the “personal phone number of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir” through the BeDino organization “to urge settlers to contact him.”

It said Knesset member Amit Halevi issued a direct invitation to Ben-Gvir to permit the intrusion, and that Halevi had previously submitted a proposal “to spatially divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews in June 2023.”

The report also said the BeDino organization launched a signing platform “allowing settlers to pledge to raise the Israeli flag inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the specified day.”

Multiple reports in the source set describe the scale of settler incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and the role of Israeli authorities in enabling them.

“Latest News – Jerusalem More than 500 Israeli settlers storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex OLJ / December 31, 2025 at 11:21”

L'Orient-Le Jour

TRT Français said “More than 65,000 illegal Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in 2025,” describing a “22% increase from the previous year,” and it cited “65,364 people entered the site over the year.”

It added that “visits involving Israeli political figures also rose significantly,” and said “Itamar Ben-Gvir” was among the politicians who “stormed the compound with several members of Parliament.”

TRT Français also said the number of political incursions rose “from nine incidents in 2024 to 20 in 2025,” and described Israeli measures affecting access, including “larger group sizes increasing from 120 to 200 participants.”

In a separate account, L’Orient-Le Jour said “About 524 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem,” attributing the figure to WAFA and saying “hundreds of settlers stormed the complex under the protection of Israeli forces.”

It said the settlers performed “Talmudic rituals and conducting provocative visits,” and it noted that “Last August” Itamar Ben-Gvir led “a crowd of several thousand people into the complex to perform prayers.”

Al-Jazeera Net, citing a “Palestinian official government report,” said that “more than four thousand Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque during April,” after the mosque’s opening on “the ninth of the month following a forty-day closure.”

It further stated that the Jerusalem Governorate said the site was “stormed by 4,112 settlers under the protection of the occupation police,” and it described additional incidents including “642 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa courtyards” on Israel’s Independence Day (21 April).

The sources also connect Al-Aqsa-related tensions to broader violence and diplomatic reactions, including condemnations by foreign ministers and warnings from church-linked officials.

PressTV reported on a report published by QNN news outlet and quoted Youssef Daher, Coordinator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Liaison Office in occupied al-Quds, warning that settler violence targeting Christians and non-Jewish communities “no longer reflects isolated incidents or misunderstandings, but rather forms part of a systematic policy with a clear exclusionary agenda.”

TRT Français

Daher said the “recent attack on a French nun was not carried out by a “mad individual” or an isolated act,” and he described the attacker as holding “a leadership position as head of an Israeli association.”

PressTV quoted Daher calling the incident “an act of terror that goes beyond individual behavior and represents an organized attempt to intimidate Christians,” and it said the situation “endangers all Christians, Muslims, and other non-Jews in the Palestinian capital.”

In a separate reaction, PressTV said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called for “strict punishment for the attacker of the French nun,” writing on X that France “cannot accept these anti-Christian acts under any circumstances,” and wishing the nun “a swift recovery after what he described as a “shocking attack.””

Sky News Arabia reported that eight countries condemned the settlers’ raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar condemned “the repeated violations of the historical and legal status quo.”

It quoted a UAE foreign ministry statement asserting that “these provocative actions in the Al-Aqsa Mosque / Noble Sanctuary constitute a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The Sky News Arabia report also said the ministers reaffirmed “the necessity of preserving it,” and stressed that “the entire area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque / Noble Sanctuary, spanning 144 dunams” is “a place of worship solely for Muslims.”

While the Al-Aqsa-focused reports describe religious-site tensions, PressTV also embeds those developments within a wider war tally for Gaza and the West Bank, framing the stakes as mass casualties and ongoing detention.

“More than 65,000 illegal Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in 2025, marking a 22% increase from the previous year, according to a report”

TRT Français

PressTV said that in the same period, “the Israeli regime has killed at least 72,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 172,400 others during a genocidal assault on Gaza.”

Al-Markaz al-Filastini lil-I'lam

It also stated that Israeli military and settler attacks “have killed at least 1,155 Palestinians since October 2023, injured around 11,750 others, and led to the abduction of approximately 22,000,” citing “official figures.”

The same report warned that “No effective measures have stopped the ongoing abuses against Palestinians under occupation,” and Daher said “Growing threats now force Christians in occupied al-Quds, including locals and foreigners, to live in constant caution and fear of sudden attacks.”

In parallel, Anadolu Ajansı described Israeli police considering measures to seal off Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, saying the spokeswoman for Israeli police, Luba Samri, stated that “Gilad Erdan” is leading “high-level consultations” to assess the city and study “immediate measures.”

Anadolu Ajansı quoted the spokeswoman saying “The sealing off of the East Jerusalem neighborhoods, and the imposition of a security cordon are among the measures being studied,” adding that “facilities will be granted (especially to Israelis) for obtaining firearms licenses.”

Al-Jazeera Net’s April report also described a dense web of enforcement and settlement actions, saying the Jerusalem Governorate pointed to “close interrelation” between “Israeli security, judicial, legislative, and settlement tools” and describing “33 demolition and bulldozing operations over the past month.”

It said the report documented “the arrest of 138 people in the governorate,” including “a child and 9 women,” and it listed “13 administrative detention orders (without charge or trial).”