Israeli settler incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound have skyrocketed from 289 in 2003 to 53,488 in 2024 — a staggering 18,407% increase, according to the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem.

Illegal Jewish settlers, often escorted by armed Israeli forces, Israeli lawmakers and religious leaders, now storm Islam’s third-holiest site almost daily through the Mughrabi Gate near the Western Wall for Talmudic prayers.

Al-Aqsa, located in occupied East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, with its 1980 annexation unrecognised internationally. Israeli authorities have also frequently imposed restrictions on Palestinian access to the mosque.

The International Court of Justice declared in July last year that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law.