Illegal Israeli settlers have intensified their incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan amid restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshippers into the flashpoint site.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said on Wednesday that 237 settlers forced their way into the mosque's courtyards, protected by Israeli police.
The settlers entered the mosque through the western Al Mugharbah Gate, a route frequently used during such incursions, it added.
Meanwhile, around 80,000 Palestinians performed the Tarawih prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday night despite Israeli restrictions.
Tarawih prayer is a voluntary prayer that is performed during the fasting month of Ramadan after Isha, the last evening prayer.
According to witnesses, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir joined the illegal settlers in performing Jewish rituals at the site.
A broader Israeli policy
Since the start of Ramadan, Israel has restricted the entry of Palestinian worshippers from the occupied West Bank into the mosque, allowing only Palestinians from East Jerusalem and its Palestinian citizens to access the site.
Palestinians view these restrictions as part of a broader Israeli policy to Judaise East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.
The International Court of Justice declared in July last year that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East.
