Claim: Israel has taken control of the al-Aqsa Mosque.
Fact: The claim is false. The video does not show the al-Aqsa Mosque; instead it shows the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City.
A video shared on Facebook (archive) claimed to show the interior of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The video is accompanied by the following text:
“57 اسلامی ممالک کے باوجود، مسجد اقصیٰ مسلمانوں کے ہاتھ سے نکل گیا، اسرائیل نے مسجد اقصیٰ پر قبضہ کر لیا ہے، مسلمانوں کے داخلے پر پابندی عائد کر دی گئی۔”
[Translation: Despite 57 Islamic countries, the al-Aqsa Mosque has slipped out of the hands of Muslims. Israel has taken control of the al-Aqsa, and Muslims have been banned from entering.]
Although the chants in the video are inaudible, the footage shows a large crowd inside what appears to be an old, historical site, gathering around a tomb-like structure at the center of the building as if to perform a religious ritual.
Israeli attacks on mosques in Gaza and the West Bank
In January 2025, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf [Endowments] and Religious Affairs issued a report detailing Israel’s attacks on religious sites in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA) reported. 815 Islamic holy sites were destroyed, and 151 were partially damaged, with reconstruction costs estimated at $500 million, the publication cited the Ministry as saying.
The Ministry further revealed that more than 960 mosques have been damaged in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, The New Arab reported. It stated that 20 mosques in the occupied West Bank were attacked during the same period, according to the same publication.
In October 2024, an Israeli strike on a mosque and school in Deir el-Balah, where many displaced people were taking refuge, killed at least 26 people. The Israeli army stated that it targeted a Hamas command and control centre, but did not provide evidence to support this claim. Additionally, Israeli settlers have carried out multiple raids on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. During these incursions, settlers reportedly performed religious rituals and restricted Muslim worshippers from entering the compound to pray.
Earlier this month/last week, an AI-generated video depicting the destruction of the al-Aqsa Mosque in the future was released by right-wing Israeli settlers, sparking widespread criticism from leaders of the Arab world.
Consequently, several claims emerged on social media regarding attacks on the holy site, a few of which were debunked by Soch Fact Check recently. This article aims to fact-check another one of such claims.
Fact or Fiction?
At first glance, several elements in the video appeared to suggest that it does not show the inside of the al-Aqsa mosque.The location in the viral video, particularly the interior, did not appear to match that of the al-Aqsa Mosque. In addition, at the beginning of the video, someone in the crowd on the lower level can be seen waving a Georgian flag, and toward the end, a Greek flag can be seen hanging on an upper balcony. Therefore, Soch Fact Check reverse-searched keyframes from the video to determine its actual origin and context.
While we were unable to locate the exact footage, multiple videos online confirmed that the location is not the al-Aqsa Mosque, but the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The church is one of Christianity’s most sacred sites as it is traditionally believed to be the location of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion at Golgotha as well as the site of his tomb, where Christians believe he was buried and resurrected. Built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine the Great, the church has been a major pilgrimage destination for nearly 1,700 years. It is the focal point of significant Christian rituals, including the Holy Fire ceremony held annually on the Saturday before Easter.
Since the viral video shows a large gathering at the church, we looked into recent news reports about the annual Holy Fire ceremony held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Most recently, on 19 April, Christians gathered at the Holy Sepulchre for the Holy Fire ceremony. This year, the turnout was lower amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and the increased security presence. Only 6,000 permits were issued despite the Christian population in the Palestinian territories being around 50,000. The church, located in the contested area of East Jerusalem, remains a focal point of religious tension and dwindling local Christian presence.
While Soch Fact Check could not locate the exact source of the viral video, a review of footage and news reports confirms that it shows the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City, and not the al-Aqsa Mosque. The presence of a large crowd in the church suggests it was likely filmed during one instance of the Holy Fire ceremony or another significant religious event.
Soch Fact Check also conducted a keyword search and did not find any credible news reports about Israel taking control of al-Aqsa. However, Israeli forces and settlers have frequently stormed the mosque and imposed restrictions on Muslim worshippers. These actions have fuelled tensions, but the claim that Israel has taken full control remains unsubstantiated.
Virality
The claim was shared here, here, here, and here on Facebook. Archived here, here, here, and here.
On Instagram, it was shared here (archive).
It was shared here (archive) on Threads.
On TikTok, it was shared here and here.
Conclusion: Israel has not taken control of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The video in the claim shows the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City, and not the al-Aqsa.
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Background image in cover photo: Faiz Abu Rmeleh/Al Jazeera
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com