Jerusalem:Israeli occupation authorities closed the Mughrabi Gate following the incursion of 1,143 colonists into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the settlers entered the compound in the morning in successive groups, with heavy police protection. They performed Talmudic rituals and prayers in the courtyards, particularly near the Cotton Merchants' Gate, and brought "plant offerings" into the area.
The occupation forces also compelled shop owners in the Cotton Merchants' Market, which leads to the mosque, to close their businesses. Restrictions were placed on the movement of Palestinians in the Old City as settlers continued their rituals at Bab Hutta, another gate of the mosque compound.
These actions occurred amidst increased military measures and restrictions on the entry and movement of worshippers around Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City.