Ben-Gvir Invades Al-Aqsa Compound Again as Israeli Army Raids West Bank

October 14, 2025 News
Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir storms the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The raid coincided with the intensification of Israeli military measures at the gates of the mosque and in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied east Jerusalem on Tuesday, while Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of raids across the occupied West Bank.

Jerusalem’s Islamic Endowments Directorate and witnesses reportedly said the extremist minister, along with dozens of illegal settlers, entered the flashpoint site under heavy Israeli police protection – the second time in a week.

The Islamic Endowments Council in Jerusalem reported that the incursion occurred on the last day of the Jewish Sukkot holiday and included tours of the Al-Aqsa courtyards and the performance of Talmudic rituals in the eastern area of ​​the mosque, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The raid coincided with the intensification of Israeli military measures at the gates of the mosque and in the Old City, the report added.

The incursion was not announced in advance, while Israeli ministers are only allowed to enter the site with prior approval from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Anadolu news agency.

Last Wednesday, Ben-Gvir led 1,200 settlers who stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, coinciding with the second day of the Hebrew holiday of Sukkot, it stated.

Condemnation

On Monday, the Islamic Endowments Council reportedly said that the mosque compound witnessed “the worst demolition of its historical and legal status in modern times,” particularly throughout 2025.

The council said in a statement that Israeli authorities and extremist Jewish groups have recently carried out “flagrant and unprecedented violations.” This includes “large-scale incursions into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, desecration of its sanctity, and attempts to alter its Islamic identity” through practices by Jewish extremists as Talmudic rituals, chanting, dancing, flag-waving, and even offering animal and plant sacrifices inside the compound, Anadolu reported.

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The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned, in the strongest terms, the incursion of the mosque by Ben-Gvir as well as the ongoing incursions by extremists under the protection of the Israeli occupation police.

It reportedly stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied city of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

West Bank Raids

Also on Tuesday, Israeli occupation forces stormed the Qalandiya camp north of the occupied city of Jerusalem, and fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at the youths, before withdrawing from the camp, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.

In Al-Bireh, Israeli army vehicles stormed the neighborhood of Desh Marhaba and ransacked several homes. They also stormed the city of Tubas and the neighboring town of Tamon, and deployed infantry units in the residential neighborhoods, as well as ransacked several houses in conjunction with the invasion of Khirbet Samra in the northern suburbs by the settler groups, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.

Israeli occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods in the cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh at dawn on Tuesday, raiding homes in several towns and villages, WAFA reported.

The army reportedly raided the home of Issam al-Froukh, a freed Palestinian deported to Gaza, in the Ein Munjed neighborhood of Ramallah, and ransacked its contents. Israeli forces also raided the Sateh Marhaba neighborhood in al-Bireh.

Ramallah, Hebron Raids

More than seven homes were raided in the village of Deir Ibzi’, west of Ramallah, and their owners subjected to field investigations. An Israeli army force also raided the village of Ein Arik and the town of Ni’lin, to the west, the report stated.

Israeli occupation forces also raided the towns of Idhna and al-Koum, west of Hebron (al-Khalil), on Tuesday and turned two houses into military barracks, WAFA reported.

In Idhna, the army raided the home of Mahdi Mohammad Tamizi, and forced its residents to leave before converting it into a military outpost. They also fired tear gas canisters at the entrance to the town, and school was postponed, the report added.

The army also raided the town of al-Koum, converted the home of Younis Haroub into military barracks, and obstructed the movement of residents and school students.

Israeli forces on Tuesday stormed Kisan School, east of Bethlehem,  WAFA reported. The troops threatened the teaching staff against discussing the issue of Palestinian prisoners, warning them that any mention of prisoners would lead to another raid.

Settler Attacks

Illegal Israeli settlers attacked the Duma Village Council staff, south of Nablus, while they were working to open the Wadi Nasser road, following official coordination with the relevant authorities, WAFA reported.

The village council said in a statement that a group of settlers opened fire and physically assaulted the workers. They also vandalized the council’s vehicle and stole olives from landowners in the area, the report added.

Settlers also reportedly set fire to a vehicle in the town of Beitin, east of Ramallah, at dawn on Tuesday.  The vehicle belonged to the family of a slain Palestinian, Saji Darwish.

Settlers also destroyed dozens of olive trees in the village of Bardala in the Northern Jordan Valley on Monday night, the news agency reported.

Local sources told WAFA that the settlers destroyed approximately 150 fruit-bearing olive trees owned by Sultan Rashid Mubaslat, in the Qa’un Plain near the village.

The report noted that area has recently witnessed an escalation in attacks by armed settlers.

About a year and a half ago, settlers established a settlement outpost west of Bardala. Since then, they have begun seizing grazing lands, burning Palestinian property, and destroying their agricultural crops, the report stated.

(PC, AJA, Anadolu, WAFA)

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1 Comment

  1. What a scumbag. If he died tomorrow, no one would care. People like him are the reason no one likes the Israeli Jews. They’re shady, scummy people, who give that very small handful of good Israeli Jews a bad name.

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