New clashes broke out on ­Monday between Palestinians and Israeli police who stormed ­Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, as an expected increase in Jewish visitors to the site over the Sukkot holiday boosted tensions.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades, while young masked protesters who had pledged a day earlier to "defend" Al-Aqsa threw stones before barricading themselves inside the mosque itself.

According to police, the young protesters had slept overnight at the mosque and also threw petrol bombs at security forces during the clashes, which caused a small fire at the entrance to the building.

Sources in the Jordanian-run organization that administers the site, the Waqf, said that police stun grenades provoked four fires inside the ­building that were brought under control.­

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 22 people wounded­, with three hospitalized after being hit by rubber bullets, including one person struck in the face while inside the mosque.

Police said negotiations to have the youths leave had failed, leaving them no choice but to carry out the raid to keep them from disrupting visits to the site. Dozens of officers deployed, including on the mosque's roof.

Muslim worshippers who were at the compound after morning prayers as the raid began were forced to leave by police and all gates used by Muslims to enter the site were closed. Some remained near the gates and chanted in protest.

The compound has been the scene of repeated clashes in recent weeks, provoking international calls for calm. The highly sensitive site is the third holiest in Islam but is also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the most sacred in Judaism.

Recent weeks have seen a series of Jewish holidays which have led to an increase in visits by Jews that have sparked clashes.

The same situation is feared over Sukkot, an eight-day religious feast that began on Sunday night.

Jews are allowed to visit the site, but cannot pray to avoid provoking tensions. Muslims fear Israel will seek to change rules governing the compound.

Israeli Prime Minister ­Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly he is committed to maintaining the status quo despite the views of some hard-liners within his governing coalition.