The third Friday of Ramadan…the Israeli forces break into Al-Aqsa Mosque and assault the worshippers
The Israeli forces raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday and attacked the worshippers with sound grenades and rubber bullets at times when they prevented thousands of fasting worshippers from entering Al-Aqsa and praying the Friday noon Prayer on the third Friday of Ramadan. The forces surrounded the male worshippers inside Al-Qibli Mosque and established iron barriers on its gates. They also surrounded them inside Al-Marwani Chapel and surrounded the female worshippers inside the Dome of the Rock. The forces assaulted the worshippers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque with pepper gas and Israeli snipers were stationed at high points inside Al-Aqsa and the areas surrounding it. New rubber bullets The Israeli forces used on Friday a new kind of rubber bullets (black) which cause deep wounds where they hit. Injuries according to medical staff Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed from the medical staff of Al-Aqsa clinics that dozens were injured during the clashes inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the center monitored several injuries through field interviews with some of the medical staff. The clinic near Al-Marwani Chapel: 15 injuries that were treated inside the clinic and two cases were transferred to the hospital because of suffering deep cuts in the face. Al-Aqsa clinic near Al-Qataneen Gate: the clinic provided treatment to 35 injuries where most of them were in the lower limbs and three injuries were in the head including a woman. Also, an old man was injured with shrapnel of sound grenades in his chest and another was injured with a sound grenade in his face. The Arab Paramedics Union staff explained that dozens of worshippers lost consciousness while they were surrounded inside Al-Qibli Mosque and were treated on the spot; note that an old man suffering from heart problems was among those who fainted. The Paramedics staff also explained that one citizen was injured with a sound grenade in his back (near the kidney) which caused him kidney bleeding and broken ribs; note that his injury was described as critical. The staff also treated two injuries in the head, one in the stomach and seven in the legs in addition to injuries of panic and fear by women and children. One paramedic, Shaker Abdo, was injured with a sound grenade in his shoulder. The Red Crescent staff explained that they treated 32 citizens and pointed out that their ambulances transferred nine cases to the hospital including three women that suffered from fractures in the limbs. Arrests The Israeli police said in a statement that they arrested 14 citizens to interrogate them regarding the incidents inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that 15-year old Mohammad Ashraf Eweisat, 17-year old Mohammad Ahmad Sroor and Ahmad Raed Masri were among those detained; note that Mohammad Sroor was severely beat during the arrest. The forces also arrested three young men from Salah Eddin Street before the Friday Noon Prayer. Prayers in Jerusalem For the third consecutive Friday, thousands of Palestinians performed the Friday Prayer in the streets of the city and the roads leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque. Prayers were held in Salah Eddin Street, Damascus Gate, Wadi Al-Joz and Ras Al-Amoud. Attacking paramedics and journalists During the clashes that broke out inside Al-Aqsa courtyards, the Israeli forces attacked the medical staff present in the courtyards and forced them to leave the area where they were working and the forces also disrupted the work of the Red Crescent ambulance that were transferring the injured.
