JERUSALEM: The second day of the Jewish holiday of Purim saw a surge in tension as dozens of extremist settlers stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city of Jerusalem, according to a Petra news agency report on Monday.

The settlers were protected by the Israeli police, said Jerusalem’s Islamic Endowments Department in a statement. The settlers began entering the compound early on Monday morning from the Mughrabi Gate and moved into the eastern and northern courtyards.

There were many more settlers on Monday and additional Israeli police were deployed in the area, further heightening tensions, Petra reported witnesses as saying.

The police evacuated the square opposite the Al-Qibli prayer hall and the Dome of the Rock.

Worshipers entering the mosque for the dawn prayer were subjected to searches, and many were prevented from accessing the holy site.

The escalation in tension comes amid longstanding disputes over access to religious sites in Jerusalem, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Palestinian Authority and several international organizations have condemned the settlers’ actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that such behavior could result in violence and hamper peace efforts.