Day 99: Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 99th day of “Al-Aqsa Flood Operation”, the siege imposed on Al-Aqsa Mosque continued, and the raids on towns and neighborhoods in the city of Jerusalem continued.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Jerusalem explained that Al-Aqsa Mosque was crowded with worshipers despite the siege and restrictions on entry to it, by checking identities, searching bags and suitcases, and preventing young men from entering it.
The center added that hundreds of worshipers were from cities of the Palestinian 1948 lands, where they traveled to Al-Aqsa by buses, and most of the worshipers were women and the elderly.
A woman from the city of Akko said: “Praise be to God, we were able to enter Al-Aqsa. We prayed the noon and afternoon prayers. We have to travel to it daily. If young people are prevented from entering it, we the elderly and women must insist on entering it. Distances or diseases do not matter. We must not leave Al-Aqsa alone.”
Seven young men were stopped by police officers stationed at Lions Gate who prevented them from entering Al-Aqsa for noon prayer. They said: “The police officers stationed at Lions Gate checked our IDs. We are aged between 30-45 years, and after detaining us for more than 15 minutes and asking us several questions, they prevented us from entering the mosque. They brought a force from the “Border Guards” and escorted us until we reached outside the Lions Gate - the gate of the Old City, to prevent us from praying at the thresholds of Al-Aqsa, and then the officers returned our ID cards to us.”
As for the Old City, the forces continue to deploy and station at its gates, especially in the Damascus Gate area and square, where the forces stop young men and check their identities, as well as in the roads of the Old City, especially along Al-Wad Street.
The Information Center learned that the forces arrested 3 young men from Al-Aqsa and the Old City.
They forces also continue to storm towns and neighborhoods in Jerusalem, and set up police checkpoints.
