Israeli settlers raid Al-Aqsa Mosque as Israeli forces arrest Palestinians across West Bank

Israeli settlers on Wednesday stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli police, as Israeli forces carried out a series of arrests across the West Bank.

Dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa's compound at dawn from the side of the Moroccan Gate, under the heavy security of the Israeli police.

The Department of Endowments in Jerusalem reported that dozens of settlers, including members of the far-right Women's Group for the Temple, stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque carried out provocative tours of the grounds.

According to a recent report from the religious endowment, 6,117 settlers stormed during the month of September.

In separate developments, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club reported that Israeli forces launched a campaign of raids in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, in which 28 Palestinians were arrested.

Twenty Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank and eight were taken from their homes in East Jerusalem. They were transferred to the security services for investigation under the pretext of participating in acts of popular resistance, according to the group.

Israel regularly carries out large waves of arrests in the West Bank, and house demolitions are also common.

Israel has occupied the West Bank illegally since 1967, and commits various abuses against Palestinian civilians, human rights groups say.

More than 700,000 Jewish Israelis live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in constructions considered illegal under international law.