Around 100 Israeli settlers entered the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem and performed religious rituals under the protection of Israeli police, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred a day after Israeli officials and thousands of Israeli settlers gathered at the Western Wall plaza in East Jerusalem under heavy security.
The latest entry into the compound comes ahead of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which begins Sunday evening and continues until Monday evening.
Israeli settler incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound have increased in recent months, particularly during major Jewish religious holidays. Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned against actions they say could alter existing arrangements at the holy site.
The compound has also seen visits by Israeli officials in recent days, drawing criticism from Palestinian and Jordanian authorities over religious activities at the site.
Located in Jerusalem’s Old City, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is one of the most sensitive religious sites in the Middle East. Muslims regard Al-Aqsa as Islam’s third-holiest site, while the same location is known in Judaism as the Temple Mount and is considered Judaism’s holiest site.
