Serious Crisis! Israel Paralyzes Al-Aqsa Waqf Operations, Number of Guards Plunges
Al-Quds International says Israeli expulsions, permit revocations, economic pressure, and restrictions on Waqf activities have severely disrupted operations at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Al-Quds International has warned of a historic decline in the number of Al-Aqsa Mosque guards and Islamic Waqf employees in occupied Al-Quds who remain able to perform their duties inside the mosque.
According to the organization, only 20 guards are currently assigned to the morning shift, representing less than 39 percent of the officially approved staffing level for each shift.
Guards and Employees Removed From Duty
Al-Quds International attributed the decline to ongoing Israeli measures targeting guards and employees of the Islamic Waqf Department.
The organization reported that more than 37 guards and Waqf employees have recently been barred from their workplaces at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It also noted that permits for 30 administrative employees from the occupied West Bank were revoked effective June 1, 2026, preventing them from reporting to work at the Waqf Department offices in Al-Manjakiyya School.
Economic Pressures Affect Staff Retention
The organization said the situation has been compounded by the sharp rise in the value of the Israeli shekel, which has reduced the purchasing power of employees’ salaries.
According to the statement, the real value of wages has declined by approximately 15 percent over the past six months while inflation has continued to increase. As a result, some employees have taken unpaid leave, repeatedly missed work, or resigned from their positions.
Waqf Media Activity Nearly Comes to a Halt
Al-Quds International also reported that the Islamic Waqf Department has stopped publishing media briefings on the number of settlers entering Al-Aqsa Mosque since May 7, 2026.
The organization further noted that the official Jerusalem Waqf website has been offline since April 29, 2026.
It warned that these developments point to an almost complete suspension of the Waqf Department’s media activity in Al-Quds, adding that the imposed media blackout could move the situation from an inability to document settler violations to an inability even to monitor the number of settlers entering the mosque.
Warning Over Jordanian Administration of Al-Aqsa
The organization said these developments coincide with what it described as a systematic disruption of the Jordanian-affiliated Islamic Waqf Department.
According to the statement, Israeli authorities continue to prevent the department from carrying out even basic maintenance work inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and are attempting to evacuate four sites within the compound under security-related pretexts.
Al-Quds International said the latest measures place Jordan’s role in Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s holy sites at a critical stage amid what it described as attempts to end the mosque’s Jordanian Islamic administration and impose Israeli administration over the site.
Calls for Immediate Support
In its statement, Al-Quds International called on Jordan to provide political and legal protection for Waqf employees and to establish an emergency fund to support them amid worsening economic and living conditions.
The organization also announced its readiness, together with a number of Arab and Islamic civil society institutions, to contribute financially to such a fund.
It further called for the immediate restoration of the Waqf Department’s media activity, the reactivation of the official Jerusalem Waqf website, and the reconstitution of the Islamic Waqf Council in Jerusalem to strengthen its role in confronting current challenges.
Al-Quds International also urged Palestinians in Jerusalem, the occupied territories of 1948, and across Palestine to increase their presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque. It additionally called on Arab and Islamic popular forces and organizations to take a direct role in defending the mosque, supporting those maintaining a presence there, and documenting ongoing violations against the holy site. (PW)