The occupation obstructs worshipers’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque (Reuters)
Israeli police fired tear gas canisters at worshipers in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem shortly after they performed dawn prayers on Friday, amid attacks on worshipers and the arrest of some of them.
Al Jazeera's correspondent said that an Israeli drone fired tear gas bombs at crowds of worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, confirming that the police had arrested a number of worshipers, noting that the occupation forces were deployed in the vicinity of the Old City of Jerusalem and at the gates of the mosque before Friday prayers.
Dozens of worshipers, including children and the elderly, suffocated as a result of inhaling tear gas.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said that about 65,000 Palestinians performed the dawn prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the occupation’s obstacles.
For its part, local media said that the occupation police attacked worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque after they chanted slogans in support of the Palestinian resistance after dawn prayers.
Chants for the resistance and Gaza after dawn prayers in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque pic.twitter.com/VJhtLTpxao
- Shehab News Agency (@ShehabAgency) April 5, 2024
The Israeli police said that they arrested 8 Palestinians against the backdrop of what they called “incitement and terrorist chants” after dawn prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Yesterday, Thursday, the occupation police announced the deployment of 3,600 officers in the city of East Jerusalem during the last Friday prayer period of the month of Ramadan until tomorrow morning, Saturday.
Tens of thousands of worshipers are preparing to perform the last Friday prayer of the month of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque, while tens of thousands of Palestinians will celebrate Laylat Al-Qadr in the mosque until tomorrow morning, Saturday.
Source: Al Jazeera + Anatolia