A total of 584 people entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem under police protection on Thursday morning.
An unnamed official from the Jerusalem Islamic Endowments Department said the groups entered through the Moroccan Gate, located on the western wall of the compound. The official said additional groups were expected to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque after the noon prayer.
Witnesses said rituals and dances were performed
Witnesses said Talmudic rituals, as well as prayers and dances, were performed during the entries. The witnesses also said these practices violate the long-standing status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Thursday marks the first day of the new month in the Hebrew calendar. Entries to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound increase during this period.
Entries have continued since 2003
Israel has unilaterally allowed such entries to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound since 2003. Entries continue daily except on Fridays and Saturdays, while the number of participants has increased over the years.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third-holiest site in the world by Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount and maintain that it was the site of two Jewish temples in antiquity.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, in 1967 and annexed the entire city in 1980. The international community has not recognized the annexation.