Jerusalem: More than 380 illegal Israeli settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday to celebrate the Jewish Hanukkah holiday, a Palestinian official said.

According to Anadolu Agency, the official from Jerusalem's Islamic Endowments Directorate reported that the settlers entered the complex in groups under police protection in both the morning and afternoon. During these incursions, they performed Talmudic prayers at the site.

The number of incursions by illegal Israeli settlers has increased during the eight-day Hanukkah holiday, which began on Sunday. The practice of storming Al-Aqsa Mosque by settlers started in 2003 when Israeli police unilaterally allowed these actions. Since then, there has been an annual increase in the number of settlers participating, despite the opposition and demands for cessation from the Islamic Endowments Directorate.

Al-Aqsa Mosque holds significant religious importance as the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Meanwhile, Jews refer to the area as Temple Mount, asserting that it was the location of two ancient Jewish temples.

The area where Al-Aqsa is situated was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city of East Jerusalem, a move that has not been recognized by the international community.