Hawzah News Agency – Israeli forces stormed al-Aqsa Mosque for the third time since the beginning of Ramadan early on Monday, attempting to clear worshippers from courtyards to allow Israeli settlers to enter the occupied East Jerusalem holy site.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa said large numbers of officers had entered the area and snipers had been positioned on the roofs of the mosque and adjacent buildings.

People under the age of 25 were also prevented from entering the mosque.

Far-right Israeli activists and settler groups had announced plans to storm al-Aqsa this week in large numbers starting from Sunday to mark the Jewish Passover holiday.

The Islamic Waqf, a joint Jordanian-Palestinian trust that administrates the affairs of al-Aqsa, recorded more than 500 settlers who entered during this period.

Israeli forces raided al-Aqsa Mosque for the first time during Ramadan on Friday. During a second raid on Sunday, hundreds of Israelis, protected by heavily armed forces, continuously stormed the courtyard of the mosque in different groups.

Several Palestinians were injured on Sunday and other detained by Israeli security forces.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinian men were critically injured by Israeli forces on Monday during a raid in the village of Yamun, west of Jenin in the northern West Bank.

Wafa said the two men were being treated in hospital.

The news agency also reported that Israeli forces had closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in preparation for Israeli settlers to storm it to celebrate Passover.

The Hebron Endowments Directorate told Wafa that the mosque had been closed at 10pm on Sunday and would not be allowed to open for two days.