Israeli Air Force Drops Bombs On Palestinians In Gaza

After Israeli police raided the Al Aqsa Mosque compound overnight, Gaza has been hit by Israeli airstrikes in reaction to rocket fire from the Palestinian territory.

Israeli attacks early on Wednesday reportedly struck a number of targets in Gaza City and a refugee camp, according to Hamas Radio.

There were no news of casualties in Gaza right away.

The airstrikes follow Israeli forces’ invasion of the third holiest site in Islam in occupied East Jerusalem while Palestinians were praying, using gas bombs and sound grenades. This occurred during the second week of Ramadan.

Witnesses and Palestinian Red Crescent also reported that Israeli troops have beaten up worshipers, leaving many wounded, raising fears of wider tensions. 

Later on, the Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians were wounded from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings. It added that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the area.

Viral videos from inside Islam’s third holiest site showed women and children screaming for help as Israeli troops carry out the attack. 

“I was sitting on a chair reciting [Quran],” an elderly woman told the Reuters news agency outside the mosque, struggling to catch her breath. “They hurled stun grenades, one of them hit my chest,” she said as she began to cry.

The worshipers chanted anti-Israel slogans as they were forced to leave the mosque. Israeli soldiers also smashed windows of the southern part of the mosque, witnesses said.

Israeli police said in a statement they arrested dozens of Palestinians who were practicing itikaf, a religious practice in which Muslims stay in the mosque overnight to pray and recite Holy Quran.

Palestinian lawyer Firas al Jibrini said police arrested around 500 people who were taken for questioning. Israeli police said they have arrested more than 350 people.

The Israeli violence in occupied East Jerusalem triggered a wave protests and condemnations from Palestinians. 

“We warn the occupation against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas calls on Palestinians to march to occupied East Jerusalem to "defend" Al Aqsa Mosque after Israeli troops stormed Islam's third holiest site and wounded dozens of worshipers there

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