Israeli police clash with Palestinians at al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Palestinians say 14 people were injured when Israeli police raided the mosque and attacked Palestinians praying last night.

On Wednesday, Israeli police say that more than 350 people have been arrested in the mosque, reports AFP.

The arrests take place after the clash in the mosque last night.

Palestinians say 14 people were injured when police used rubber bullets and stun grenades against visitors in part of the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, according to BBC.

The Palestinian Red Crescent previously stated that seven people were injured by rubber bullets and beaten up by Israeli police, while the police prevented medical aid from reaching the mosque, according to the Reuters news agency.

Israeli police, for their part, claim in a statement that they were forced to storm the mosque after “masked agitators” had locked themselves in there with fireworks, sticks and stones. A policeman was wounded in the leg, according to the statement.

At the same time, the Israeli Defense Forces, the IDF, reports that rockets have been fired from Gaza towards Sderot in Israel. Four out of five rockets were stopped by the Israeli air defense, writes the IDF.

Hamas Radio says two Palestinian training camps were hit by the Israeli attack, according to Reuters.

Tense situation

It is not the first time violent clashes have taken place at the al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. The mosque is located on a peak that is symbolically important for both Jews and Muslims.

The tension and attacks on the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have increased in the past year, writes NTB.

This month there have been fears that the situation will escalate further, as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan falls at the same time as Judaism’s celebration of Pesach – known as the Jewish Passover – and the Christian Passover.

Condemned

Spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warns against “crossing red lines in holy places, which will lead to a big explosion”, according to Reuters.

Jordan and Egypt, which are part of a new US-led attempt to de-escalate the conflict, have both condemned the attack, writes Reuters.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry calls for Israel to immediately stop “the blatant attack” on people praying, while Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemns what it calls a shameless storming of the mosque.