Hundreds of Palestinians injured as Israeli police storm Al-Aqsa

• Shah Huma Parveen ( EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )
• May 11, 2021

228 Palestinians taken to hospital after attacks by Israeli police forces

10.05.2021

JERUSALEM

At least 305 people were injured as Israeli police on Monday stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and attacked Palestinians who were on guard to prevent possible raids by extremist Jews.

In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent said 228 people were taken to hospitals for treatment, with 7 of them being in critical condition.

Meanwhile, Israeli police have retreated after a 4-hour-long assault against Palestinians at Al-Aqsa Mosque with tear gas, plastic bullets, and sound bombs.

It was also told the gates of Masjid al-Aqsa, which was shut down by Israeli police, had reopened after their withdrawal.

Some of its employees were prevented from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces attacked journalists at Al-Aqsa Mosque as they were covering events at the holy site.

Thousands of Palestinians staged protests inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, after performing the dawn prayers there. The Palestinians then stayed there to guard the mosque against raids by extremist Jews.

Setting up barricades at some points of Haram al-Sharif, the main building of Al-Aqsa, they chanted slogans for the mosque and said they would not leave there.

Israeli police then raided the mosque and used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades in clashes with the Palestinians, who responded by throwing stones.

Israeli forces continue to intervene against Palestinians at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Religious war against Palestinians

Hamas group, in turn, said Israel was waging a "religious war against Palestinian worshipers" in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

"What is happening inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque at the time of storming and assaulting worshippers is proof of the brutality of the Zionist occupation," Muhammad Hamadeh, the movement's spokesman for the city of Jerusalem, said.

He called on the Palestinians to "remain steadfast and prevent settlers from entering Al-Aqsa."

The Hamas spokesman held Israel responsible for its "incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque," saying: "The occupation will pay a heavy price."

Earlier, extremist Jews called for a raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday to celebrate the anniversary of the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem, as "Jerusalem Day" according to the Hebrew calendar.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980, in a move never recognized by the international community.

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Israeli police intervene in Palestinians at Masjid al-Aqsa Compound