Members of the Islamic Awqaf Department and hundreds of Muslim worshipers have refused, for the second consecutive day, to enter al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via metal detectors set up by the Israeli occupation forces.

Reporting from the scene, a PIC news correspondent said tension has been running high as Muslim worshipers voiced their firm rebuff of the soaring Israeli crackdowns, which they said make part of underway attempts to impose a new fait accompli at al-Aqsa Mosque.

At the same time, the Palestinians continue to launch calls for mass rallies outside al-Aqsa Mosque to urge the Israeli forces to lift the metal detectors.

Meanwhile, the occupation forces banned three Muslim guards at al-Aqsa from the site until further notice.

Jerusalem’s Awqaf Department identified the banned guards as Muhannad al-Zaal, Luay Abu al-Saoud and Amer al-Salfiti.

On Sunday evening, several Muslim worshipers sustained injuries after they were aggressively beaten by the occupation forces near al-Aqsa’s entrance gates.

The Israeli forces further chased down the Imam (worship leader) and the peaceful Muslim worshipers in the alleys of the Old City.