Israeli Occupation Allowed 53,000 Extremists Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in 2024

IQNA – The Islamic Waqf Department in al-Quds has revealed that more than 53,000 extremist settlers stormed the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque over the past year.

These frequent raids are part of Israel’s ongoing disregard for religious sites in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Waqf said, Al Jazeera Arabic reported on Tuesday.

One of the latest provocative Israeli raids was on Sunday when a group of settlers along with an Israeli minister stormed the Muslim holy site under the occupation forces’ protection.

Under the 1994 Wadi Araba Treaty between Jordan and Israel, Jordan maintains custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in al-Quds. This role was reaffirmed in a 2013 agreement between Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, placing Al-Aqsa Mosque under the administration of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, overseen by Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places.

While Jewish visitors were historically allowed to visit the compound with the Waqf’s permission, Israel's unilateral policies have increasingly sidelined the Waqf’s authority.

Despite Israeli claims that the historic status quo—allowing only Muslims to worship at Al-Aqsa while others may visit—is upheld, video evidence has frequently shown Jewish settlers performing prayers and religious rituals under police protection during such visits.

Source: Agencies