Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed on Thursday morning Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate as part of the morning break-in shift.
30 Israeli settlers escorted by policemen broke into al-Aqsa Mosque and carried out a round of sacrilegious tours.
The Islamic Awqaf Department said heavily-armed Israeli policemen cordoned off the plazas of the site to secure the break-in.
Dozens more are expected to show up at the site in the afternoon break-in shift.
At the same time the peaceful Muslim worshipers have been subjected to tough crackdowns and restrictions by the Israeli police near the main entrances to the site. Several worshipers have been searched and dozens more have had their IDs seized while attempting to enter al-Aqsa to perform their daily prayers.
