Israeli settlers storm Al Aqsa, blow horns in nearby Palestinian graveyard

Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound ahead of the religious holiday of Yom Kippur and blew musical horns between the graves of Muslims in a nearby cemetery.

Hundreds of Israelis stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque early Tuesday, touring the complex and performing religious rituals, according to the Islamic Waqf body.

The settlers were under the protection of heavily armed Israeli police, who prevented Palestinians from entering the holy site to perform their Islamic prayers. 

Dozens of Israelis blew cultural horns, known as shofars, as they toured the graves of Muslims in the Bab al-Rahma cemetery near the eastern wall of the holy site.

Palestinian holy sites have been subject to an increased number of raids by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem since the last week of September, coinciding with Jewish holidays including the Rosh Hashanah new year.

Settlers storming places of worship, assaulting Palestinian worshippers and carrying out offensive acts are commonplace throughout the year.

Sunday's provocations occurred as dozens of settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which serves as the third holiest site in Islam, under the protection of the Israeli police according to the Department of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem.