Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets, teargas, and stun grenades during the dawn assault.
By Lubna Masarwa and Huthifa Fayyad
Israeli forces have attacked Palestinian worshippers inside al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during an early morning raid on Friday, wounding and arresting dozens of people.
Scores of worshippers were wounded as Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets, teargas and stun grenades inside the courtyards and prayer halls of the mosque.
The Palestine Red Crescent said 152 people were evacuated from the mosque and transferred to nearby hospitals, including many with upper body wounds. Al-Makassed hospital in East Jerusalem said they had received 40 wounded people from Al-Aqsa, two of them with critical injuries.
At least 400 people were arrested.
Shiekh Ekrima Sabri, the imam of Al-Aqsa, said the raid was intended to pave the way for Israeli settlers to storm the mosque during the Jewish Passover holiday, which starts later this evening.
“What happened today was a premeditated and orchestrated attack after the mobilisation of occupation forces to suppress the defenceless worshipers,” Sabri told Middle East Eye.
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE AT THE MIDDLE EAST EYE