Hundreds of Israeli settlers storm Al Aqsa complex

Hundreds of Israeli settlers have forced their way into the flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem, according to a Palestinian official.

The official with the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department told Anadolu Agency on Sunday that the settlers entered the site through the mosque’s Al Mugharbah Gate under Israeli police protection.

He said the settlers were escorted by right-wing rabbi Yehuda Glick.

The settler incursions came amid rising tensions across the Palestinian territories over the ongoing Israeli air strikes in Gaza.

At least 31 Palestinians have been killed, including six children and four women, and over 250 others injured in three days of Israeli air strikes in Gaza since Friday.

READ MORE: Gaza’s sole power plant shuts down as Israeli air strikes continue

Al Aqsa Mosque is one of the holiest sites for Muslims.

Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Since 2003, Israel has allowed settlers into the compound almost daily.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. 

It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.

READ MORE: Palestine's death toll climbs as Israel continues bombarding Gaza