World Bulletin / News Desk

A group of Jewish settlers backed by Israeli police forced their way into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday morning, a Palestinian guard at the Muslim holy site said.

"About 22 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa complex through the Al-Magharbeh Gate under Israeli police protection," guard Naser Qous told Anadolu Agency.

"The settlers then conducted a provocative tour, starting from the Qibali Mosque and passing by the Marwani Mosque before finally leaving via the Al-Silsila Gate," he said.

He added that Israeli police had assaulted a group of Palestinian worshippers "after they verbally protested the settlers' intrusion."

Medical sources confirmed that four Palestinians had received treatment for light injuries sustained during the assault by police.

In recent months, groups of extremist Jewish settlers – often accompanied by Israeli security forces – have repeatedly forced their way into the Al-Aqsa complex. The frequent violations anger Palestinian Muslims and occasionally lead to violent confrontations.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the holy city in 1980 – in a move never recognized by the international community – claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state.