Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday morning, firing rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, and sound bombs at Palestinian worshippers, wounding hundreds.
The latest violence comes as occupied East Jerusalem braces for a planned Jewish nationalist march through the city later on Monday.
The annual Jerusalem Day Flag March marks the day East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and later annexed by Israel – in a move not recognised by the majority of the international community.
It usually sees young Zionist activists walk through Palestinian areas in the Old City and East Jerusalem neighbourhoods in provocation.
Here are the latest updates:
They were firing rubber bullets randomly at everyone’
Nour Mtour, a Palestinian woman who spent the night inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, witnessed the beginning of the crackdown by Israeli forces early Monday.
“Snipers went on the roof of the gate at the mosque compound and began to shoot rubber bullets at everyone – women, men, everyone,” Mtour told Al Jazeera’s Dareen Jubeh. “At the same time a huge number of police forces invaded from different directions.”
“I saw the Israeli police attacking the paramedics with batons who were doing their job. They were firing rubber bullets randomly at everyone. The police wanted to empty Al-Aqsa.”
The 35-year-old said a lot of people were injured.
“I tried to help a wounded man who got hit by a bullet in his head, but I couldn’t reach him as police fired a tear gas canister at me,” she said.
Pakistan PM condemns Israeli attack
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, has decried the Israeli storming and attack of Palestinians at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.
“Strongly condemn Israeli Forces’ attack esp during Ramazan on Palestinians in Qibla-e-Awaal, Al-Aqsa Mosque, violating all norms of humanity & int [international] law,” he wrote in a Twitter post.
“We reiterate support for Palestinian ppl,” he added. He called on the international to take immediate action “to protect Palestinians & their legitimate rights”.
Aljazeera
