Muslim worshippers celebrate outside Jerusalem's Old City, on July 27, 2017. Israel has removed remaining newly introduced security measures Thursday morning from the entrances to the holy site in Jerusalem which is known as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims and Temple Mount to Jews. (Xinhua/Muammar Awad)

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Israel removed security apparatus from the entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, as thousands of Muslim worshippers rejoiced in the nearby streets early on Thursday.

CCTV cameras, the metal bridge and the railings, which have triggered nightly violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police, were taken away by Israeli authorities.

Thousands celebrated in the streets of the Old City, handing out candy to children and adults.

However, Muslim leaders told the worshippers to continue to pray outside the site until they would decide if Israel has indeed canceled all of the recent security measures and returned to the status quo.

Palestinian Governor of Jerusalem Adnan Husseini hoped that "Israel would be serious about this step and not have undeclared goals behind this move," pointing out that the top Muslim clerics will listen to the technical reports by the field teams before taking a final decision regarding the ending of the protests.

Omar Kiswani, the director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, said a meeting of the Supreme Islamic Committee in Jerusalem would be held later Thursday morning.

The hilltop site is known as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims and Temple Mount to Jews.

The detectors, installed following a shooting attack that killed three Israeli policemen, sparked a huge protest. They are seen by the Palestinians as a violation of the status quo at the Muslim-run compound and an Israeli attempt to gain more control over the site.