- Israeli police conduct raid on Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque
- The surprise attack before dawn resulted in the injury of seven people
- Police authorities said that the operation was in response to what they called "rioting"
A surprise raid by Israeli police in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque resulted in the injury of seven people, said witnesses, and was conducted on Wednesday before dawn in what law enforcement personnel say was a response to "rioting."
In a report, the Palestinian Red Crescent said there were injuries but did not further add details on how many people got hurt in the attack. A separate statement added that Israeli forces were blocking its medics from getting to Al-Aqsa.
Surprise Israeli Police Raid on Jerusalem Mosque
During an interview, an elderly woman who sat outside the mosque and struggled to catch her breath said that she was reciting the Qur'an when law enforcement threw stun grenades, one of which struck her chest.
Israeli police later said they were forced to enter the compound after what they called "masked agitators" got into the mosque with fireworks, sticks, and stones and locked themselves inside, as per Aljazeera.
The official statement noted that when law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene, stones were thrown at them, and unidentified suspects launched fireworks from within the mosque. It noted a large group of agitators inside and claimed that one officer was injured in the leg.
The situation comes as tensions have risen in occupied East Jerusalem and West Bank for several months. Many have expressed concerns about potential violence as crucial religious festivals converge, including the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover.
On the other hand, Palestinian groups have condemned recent attacks targeting worshippers, describing the operations as a form of crime. In a statement, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned against crossing red lines at holy sites that would lead to a big explosion.
Rising Tensions Between Israel and Palestine
The attack on the religious site and similar operations in other areas have sparked deadly cross-border conflicts between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers, the last of which occurred in 2021. Video footage of the latest attack allegedly shows Israeli police beating Palestinians using batons and rifles, according to NBC New York.
Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, reported that dozens of worshippers at the site spent all of the night in Ramadan praying and were injured by the raid. The recent violence triggered a wave of demonstrations from Palestinians as Hamas in Gaza urged for protests and people to gather in the streets.
On Tuesday, before the recent attack, a Palestinian suspect was believed to be responsible for stabbing two Israeli individuals near an army base located south of Tel Aviv, said police. It was the latest development in a yearslong spate of violence that still shows no sign of ending.
Over the last year, conflicts between Israel and Palestine have surged as the former's military has continued to carry out near-nightly raids on the latter's cities, towns, and villages. It also comes as Palestinians have conducted numerous attacks against Israelis, said Global News.
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