Israeli police stormed Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque before dawn on Wednesday and attacked worshippers, setting off a reaction from Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The incident, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover, came amid fears that tensions built up during a year of escalating violence could be unleashed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where fighting in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza.
"In the yard to the eastern part of the compound, the police fired tear gas and stun grenades, it was a scene that I can't describe," said Fahmi Abbas, a worshipper at the mosque. "Then they stormed in and started beating everyone. They detained people and put the young men face down on the ground while they continued beating them."
At least nine rockets were fired from Gaza overnight, prompting air strikes from Israel which struck what it said were Hamas weapon production sites, setting off ground-shaking explosions heard across the blockaded coastal strip.
Witnesses said Israeli tanks also shelled Hamas positions along the border fence in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
As day broke, the situation appeared to have calmed but the Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians had sustained wounds, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings, in the Israeli assault. It added that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the area.
Israeli forces also stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday night and forcibly evicted worshippers after Ramadan prayers.
The coming to power of Israel's new far-right coalition government has accelerated threats to Palestinian homes and livelihoods on several fronts.
At least 94 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces this year alone amid an intensification of deadly raids on Palestinian cities by Israel.
(Reuters)