Al-Aqsa Mosque turned into a battlefield on Friday night as Israeli occupation police brutally attacked Palestinians there, with anger growing over attempts by Zionist settlers to evict Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Al-Quds.
Fully armed occupation police fired rubber-coated metal bullets and stun grenades towards Palestinians who responded with hurling rocks.
At least 205 Palestinians and 17 officers were injured in the night-time clashes at Islam’s third-holiest site and around East Al-Quds, Palestinian medics and Israeli police said.
Violence erupted on Friday when Israeli police deployed heavily as Muslims were performing evening prayers at Al-Aqsa during the holy month of Ramadan.
Video footage from the scene shows worshipers heroically confronting the Israeli aggression, throwing chairs, shoes and rocks towards the occupation police and officers who were opening fire. Israeli police also closed gates leading to Al-Aqsa inside the walled Old City.
The Palestine Red Crescent ambulance service said one of the injured lost an eye, two suffered serious head wounds, and two had their jaws fractured. Most were wounded in the face and eyes by rubber-coated rounds and shrapnel from stun grenades.
Occupation forces also attacked Palestinian medics who were offering aid to injured worshipers.
Responding to the Israeli aggression, the Resistance in Gaza warned the Israeli enemy.
Head of Hamas’ politburo Ismail Haniyeh told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “not to play with fire,” stressing that the Resistance and the Palestinian people will defend Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa with all means.
Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza Mohammad Hindi called on Palestinians in Al-Quds to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in face of Israeli aggression.
Head of Islamic Jihad Ziad Nakhale said the Resistance won’t keep mum about Israeli violations in Al-Quds, adding that “Israeli enemy must expect our retaliation.”
Source: Agencies
