Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed on Wednesday morning Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate.
Israeli police cordoned the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque at the crack of dawn to secure the break-in.
Public relations chief at the Islamic Awqaf Department Firas al-Dabes said 63 Israeli settlers escorted by policemen showed up at the site in groups and carried out sacrilegious tours.
Israeli police reportedly cracked down on Muslim worshipers at the main entrances to the site.
Over the past couple of weeks over 20 Palestinians were banned by the Israeli police from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque for periods ranging from two weeks to six months.
