Pictures and details…A siege on Al-Aqsa Mosque…prayers at its thresholds…suppression and assault
The occupation forces beat, pushed and fired grenades towards the worshipers while performing the Evening and Night Prayers on the thresholds of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the streets of Jerusalem during the siege imposed on Al-Aqsa Mosque, on the pretext of setting fire to the police station inside Lions Gate.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center stated that the occupation forces deliberately suppressed the prayers that were held at the gates of Al-Aqsa, especially in the area of Lions Gate and Al-Majles Gate. The forces prevented the prayers from being held, and assaulted and beat the worshippers and forcibly removed them from the area. They also assaulted other gatherings after the prayers were over.
The center added that the occupation forces randomly fired used sound grenades and rubber bullets during the prayer in Wadi Al-Joz Street in Jerusalem, and dispersed the worshipers by force.
The center explained that the suppression of the worshipers started after the Afternoon prayer at the gates of Al-Aqsa, where the worshipers were forcibly evacuated from Al-Ghazali Square / Lions Gate - one of the gates of Al-Aqsa, then chased them on the road of Lions Gate and severely assaulted them including the women and children. The soldiers beat the worshippers and confiscated prayer mats from them and prevented them from praying.
The center added that after a group of women finished the Evening prayer in the road between Lions Gate and Hutta Gate, they were assaulted, beaten, and pushed. Some of them were prevented from completing the Evening Sunnah prayer. When young men tried to interfere, they were also assaulted by the occupation forces.
Sheikh Omar Kiswani, director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, said that the Afternoon, Evening and Night prayers were not held at Al-Aqsa Mosque because of the siege imposed on it, pointing out that “call to prayer” was prevented and the prayers were held without it.
