Thousands of illegal Israeli settlers, under heavy Israeli military protection, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in the name of a religious event Tuesday.
The storming of the flashpoint site in occupied East Jerusalem sparked tensions with Palestinian Muslims present at the time.
At least 2,000 Israeli settlers toured the mosque complex and conducted Talmudic rituals, provoking Muslim worshippers, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.
The settlers' entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque Complex came after a call from extremist Jewish groups to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fast day that marks the occurrence of several disasters in Jewish history, reported WAFA.
The settlers entered the mosque through the western Al-Mugharbah Gate, a route frequently used during such incursions, the agency added.
Israeli forces closed roads leading to Jerusalem's Old City, deployed hundreds of soldiers, and effectively turned the area into a "military barracks" while imposing strict restrictions on Palestinians attempting to enter the mosque.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city, a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
