Al-Aqsa Raids: Palestinians Injured in New Israeli Incursion

Rabat – Israeli police entered Al Aqsa mosque and attacked worshippers on Friday morning, as part of continued violent acts against Palestinians.

Approximately 30 Palestinians, including three journalists, were injured in the raid, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Journalists at the scene reported that the Israeli forces were dressed in full riot gear and fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at worshippers. Palestinians tried using stones in retaliation.

A total of 14 of those wounded are being treated in hospital for their injuries, according to Palestine’s Red Crescent.

Israeli media has reported that one officer sustained injuries from the rocks that Palestinains threw.

Israel blamed Palestinians for the violence, alleging that they threw the rocks before the riot police came, but Palestinians have maintained that the attacks were unprovoked.

A small fire was also reported at the Al-Aqsa compound, with Palestinians blaming Israeli soldiers for lighting a tree on fire. Israel maintained that the Palestinains were at fault for using fireworks.

Al-Aqsa mosque, considered by Muslims a holy site, has seen escalated violence over the past several days, with Israel carrying out daily raids in the mosque.

The heightened tensions are not only contained to Al-Aqsa, but have permeated through occupied Palestinian territories.

Israeli warplanes carried out an attack on Gaza earlier this week, reminiscent of last year’s 11-day assault on the strip that was also triggered by initial violence at Al-Aqsa.

Israel has also been expelling Muslim worshippers from the mosque and letting Jewish people celebrate there instead, as the holy Muslim month of Ramadan this year coincided with the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Palestinain authorities and factions have condemned the attacks, with Hamas calling the sanctity of the mosque “a red line,” and warning Israel of crossing it.

The Palestinian mission to the UN had published a letter earlier this month decrying the violence and calling on the international community to take action against it.