Israeli police assault worshippers in Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa, Gaza launches rockets at Israel By Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli police attacked dozens of worshippers in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound earlier than daybreak on Wednesday, witnesses mentioned, in what Israeli police mentioned was a response to rioting.

The incident sparked protests throughout the occupied West Financial institution and the Israeli army mentioned 9 rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel after sirens blared in southern cities.

Violence within the occupied West Financial institution and Jerusalem has surged over the previous 12 months and there may be concern that tensions might escalate this month, because the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coincides with Judaism’s Passover and Christian Easter.

The Palestinian Purple Crescent mentioned seven Palestinians sustained wounds from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings in clashes with Israeli police on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. It added that Israeli forces had been stopping its medics from reaching the mosque.

“I used to be sitting on a chair reciting (Qur’an),” an aged girl informed Reuters exterior the mosque, struggling to catch her breath. “They hurled stun grenades, considered one of them hit my chest,” she mentioned as she started to cry.

Israeli police mentioned in a press release that it was compelled to enter the compound after masked agitators locked themselves contained in the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones.

“When the police entered, stones had been thrown at them and fireworks had been fired from contained in the mosque by a big group of agitators,” the assertion mentioned, including {that a} police officer was wounded within the leg.

Friction on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, identified to Jews because the Temple Mount, has set off violence lately.

Palestinian teams condemned Israel’s assaults on worshippers, which they described as against the law.

“We warn the occupation towards crossing crimson strains at holy websites, which is able to result in a giant explosion,” mentioned Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Jordan and Egypt, each concerned in latest U.S.-backed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, issued separate statements condemning the incident.

Movies circulating on social media, which Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm, confirmed fireworks going off and police beating folks contained in the mosque.

The Israeli army mentioned 9 rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel, of which no less than 4 had been intercepted and 4 landed in open areas.