“Over 310 Jewish extremists backed by Israeli police officers have forced their way into the compound since morning,” Firas al-Dib, a spokesman for Jerusalem's Jordan-run Religious Endowments Authority said. 

Settlers, he said, had entered the compound through the Al-Mugharbah Gate before performing Jewish religious rituals near the Dome of the Rock Mosque. 

Since the week-long Jewish Passover holiday began last Friday, over 2,000 Israeli settlers have entered the religious site, according to estimates.

Passover, which commemorates the ancient Israelites’ exodus from Egypt under Prophet Moses, is considered one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar. 

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.