Israeli settler incursions into the Al Aqsa Mosque compound have surged by more than 18,000 percent since 2003, when authorities first allowed settlers to bypass the Islamic Waqf administration.
According to figures from the Waqf—the body responsible for managing the Al Aqsa Mosque compound—the number of settler entrants rose from just 289 in 2003 to 53,488 in 2024, with the only notable decline occurring in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported.
In 2023, the Waqf recorded 48,223 incursions, while more than 48,000 and 35,000 were documented in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
The Al Aqsa Mosque compound, located in East Jerusalem’s Old City, is the third holiest site in Islam and considered the most sacred location in Judaism. East Jerusalem, along with the rest of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was occupied and later annexed by Israel following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
In recent years, extremist Jewish groups have increasingly called for the construction of a Third Temple on the site of Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
In April, pro-settler social media accounts circulated an AI-generated video showing Al Aqsa Mosque in flames and replaced by the alleged Temple—prompting widespread condemnation.
Since 2003, Israeli settler incursions have been taking place almost daily—except on Fridays and Saturdays—under police protection, despite repeated condemnations from the Islamic Endowment Department.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have tightened restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays, allowing mainly elderly worshippers to enter.
