"Backed by eight Israeli police officers, around 25 settlers led by a number of rabbis forced their way into the Al-Aqsa compound via the Al-Magharbeh Gate," Sheikh Omar al-Qiswani, the Palestinian director of the Al-Aqsa complex, told The Anadolu Agency.

Settlers toured the complex courtyards for some 15 minutes before leaving through the Al-Silsila gate, he said.

"Moshe David Tendler, an American rabbi and biology professor, was one of those who led the group of settlers around the holy compound," al-Qiswani added.

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 Jewish temples in ancient times.

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

In September 2000, a visit to Al-Aqsa by controversial Israeli politician Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the "Second Intifada," a popular uprising against Israel's decades-long occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.