East Jerusalem: More than 200 illegal Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli police, authorities said Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, anonymous sources from the Islamic Endowment Department reported that 217 illegal Israeli settlers raided the holy site. The Wadi Hilweh Information Center, a local rights group, detailed that 124 settlers entered the mosque in the morning, followed by 93 who broke into the site later in the day.

The settlers were reported to have performed Talmudic rituals within the courtyards, under the protection of Israeli forces, as stated by the Wafa news agency in Palestine. The incursion took place after the mosque was reopened following a 12-day closure imposed due to a state of emergency declared by Israel amid its attacks on Iran.

Israel has permitted Israeli settlers to access the Al-Aqsa compound since 2003, despite opposition from the Islamic Endowment Department. Al-Aqsa Mosque holds significant religious importance as the world's third-holiest site for Muslims, whereas Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the location of two ancient Jewish temples.

The historical context of this tension traces back to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War when Israel occupied East Jerusalem. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city, a move that has not been acknowledged by the international community.