Israeli settlers, backed by heavily armed Israeli occupation forces, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards in occupied Al-Quds, making provocative tours for the third day in a row.

Earlier, the Israeli occupation police forced Palestinian worshipers out of the mosque's courtyards, before they began facilitating the entry of groups of settlers.

🇵🇸#Palestine | Israeli soldiers harassing women at Al Aqsa mosque. pic.twitter.com/VgHaEgSiYy

— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) April 19, 2022

Furthermore, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have also increased restrictions at the gates leading to Al-Aqsa, barring worshippers from entering the mosque.

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that IOF fired gas grenades on Palestinians in Al-Qibli prayer hall, Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Several unarmed Palestinian worshippers including women are trapped Inside Al Qibli prayer hall to facilitate Israeli settlers to invade Al Aqsa Mosque.[r] pic.twitter.com/vqyLOYelUC

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) April 17, 2022

On its part, Hamas reiterated that the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque was and will remain purely Islamic, and the usurping occupier will have no place in it, and his illusions will be shattered by the steadfastness and resilience of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian resistance movement has also assured that the occupation's plans to impose the temporal and geographical division of Al-Aqsa Mosque by allowing repeated settlers' storming into its courtyards and violently assaulting peaceful worshipers will fail.

Thousands of Palestinians from various occupied lands have risen up, since dawn last Friday, against the occupation, which seeks to secure protection for settler groups to slaughter sacrifices at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Passover holiday.

This act is considered a desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.