Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound Stormed by Settlers as West Bank Violence Erupts

On July 25, 2026, a highly volatile situation unfolded in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank as thousands of Israeli settlers and far-right activists stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The large-scale incursions into the sensitive religious site were organized to mark the Tisha B'Av observance, drawing immediate concern and widespread condemnation from international observers and regional governments alike.

Among those entering the contested holy site was Itamar Ben-Gvir, who accessed the Al-Aqsa compound under the heavy guard of Israeli police forces. The presence of high-profile figures and crowds of activists within the mosque grounds has historically served as a major flashpoint for regional escalation, heightening religious tensions in the heart of East Jerusalem.

The fallout from the incursions quickly extended beyond Jerusalem, plunging the occupied West Bank into a wave of deadly violence. In the village of Tel, located near the city of Nablus, armed settlers carried out a lethal attack that resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians, marking a devastating escalation of violence on the ground.

In response to the storming of the mosque compound and the subsequent bloodshed in the West Bank, international diplomatic channels mobilized swiftly. The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement to formally denounce the events.

Addressing the gravity of the situation, the group of foreign ministers stated: "These provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism, and obstruct efforts to advance a just and lasting peace on the basis of the two-State solution." The joint declaration emphasizes the growing regional alarm over actions that threaten the long-term stability of the region and undermine ongoing diplomatic pathways toward peace.