200 detainees and dozens of injuries…storming Al-Aqsa and violent clashes
After midnight, the occupation forces stormed the Al-Qibli prayer hall, inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Jerusalem stated that the heavily armed forces stormed the chapel from the "back gate of the clinic", more than two hours after imposing a complete siege on the al-Qibli prayer hall, occupying its roof and completely evacuating the al-Aqsa squares from worshipers.
The center added that the forces - before storming the Al-Qibli prayer hall - climbed onto its roof and smashed the windows, through which they fired sound bombs and rubber bullets and sprayed pepper gas towards the worshipers, then stormed the prayer hall through the back door of the clinic.
The center added that the special forces stormed the chapel with intense firing of bombs, and smoke rose in the place which obscured the vision, and during that they attacked the worshipers, "women, elderly, boys and young men" and surrounded them and held them to the ground, and severely beat them using batons as well as assaulted them by "stepping on them with their boots" and dragging them to the ground. The forces deliberately hit them on the head and back.
The occupation forces forcibly removed some of the women in I’tikaf, while detaining the young men.
Dozens of "severe and moderate" injuries were recorded in Al-Aqsa. The severity of the injuries was exacerbated by the fact that ambulance crews were not allowed to enter Al-Aqsa.
The occupation forces carried out dozens of arrests of young men and boys from Al-Aqsa.
In front of the gates of Al-Aqsa, the occupation forces deployed and confrontations broke out in the lanes and alleys of the Old City, and cheers were heard from the young men who headed to Al-Aqsa.
The occupation forces also prevented ambulance crews and ambulances from entering through Lions Gate to transport the injured, and the Red Crescent in Jerusalem confirmed that the forces prevented its crews from entering and physically assaulted them.
Before storming the Al-Qibli prayer hall, the forces cleared the squares and beat the worshipers present, expelling hundreds from it.
The forces had begun imposing their siege on Al-Aqsa at the end of Al-Taraweeh and Witer prayers, by preventing entry to the mosque through its gates, spreading out over them, and confiscating identity cards.
The occupation forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on "Sunday and Monday", prevented the i'tikaf, expelled those present by force, detained some and interrogated them on field.
This storming comes on the eve of the Jewish Passover, which begins next Thursday and lasts for a week, while the "alleged temple groups" are calling for mass incursions throughout the holiday, and they also demanded gathering this evening, Wednesday, at the gates of Al-Aqsa in an attempt to offer offerings inside.
In the face of these calls, I'tikaf in Al-Aqsa was announced, to repel any attempts that might be made to offer offerings inside it.
Firas Al-Jabrini, a lawyer for the Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Jerusalem, said that 200 detainees from Al-Aqsa will be transferred to the "Motsdat Adamim" military base between Anata and Issawiya, in Jerusalem.
Al-Jabrini pointed out that last year, the occupation authorities transferred more than 400 detainees to this military base, on the first Friday of Ramadan.
