Israel's Ben Gvir, under heavy guard, leads settler raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, led hundreds of settlers in a raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. Under a heavy police guard, the group performed Jewish Talmudic prayers, sang, and danced, which violates the long-standing status quo at the Muslim holy site. Israeli forces heavily restricted Palestinian access to the mosque during the event, which was described by an official from the Islamic Waqf as an "incitement to violence." The action has heightened Palestinian fears that Israel intends to divide the sacred compound, similar to what occurred at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.