Egypt condemns Al-Aqsa storming by Ben-Gvir and thousands of settlers

CAIRO – 23 July 2026: Egypt has strongly condemned the recent storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli hardline minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, alongside settlers and Knesset members, warning that such provocative acts risk further escalation.

Ben-Gvir, alongside Nissim Vaturi and Amit Halevi, Knesset members from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, and thousands of settlers, stormed the mosque compound on Thursday, drawing widespread Arab condemnation.

The incursions coincided with observances of what Israelis refer to as Tisha B'Av, commemorating the destruction of the ancient Jewish temples.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Halevi performed Talmudic rituals inside the compound and raised an Israeli flag during the visit, while dozens of settlers carried out what is known as "epic prostration" near the Dome of the Rock.

The Jerusalem endowment authority said 3,228 settlers entered the compound during the morning visits under heavy Israeli police protection.

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Governorate said Israeli forces continued to restrict Muslim worshippers' access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, adding that only a very limited number were able to attend dawn prayers before security forces assaulted several worshippers.

“Egypt condemns in the strongest terms the storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, members of the Knesset and thousands of settlers under the protection of the Israeli police, as well as the provocative practices that accompanied it," the foreign minister said in a statement.

Cairo warned that the actions constitute a flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa.

The ministry stressed that the continued violations and provocative practices risk fueling tensions, undermining efforts to restore calm and stability, and driving further escalation across the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider region, threatening regional peace and security.

The ministry renewed Egypt's call on the international community and the UN Security Council to fulfill their responsibilities by halting Israeli violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.

Egypt also called for ensuring respect for the historical and legal status quo, and upholding international law and relevant UN resolutions in support of a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.