Israel cracks down on Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque

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More than 75 casualties have been recorded among Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque following the Friday Prayers today with one seriously wounded as Israel opens live fire against Palestinians in northern Gaza.

Paramedics affirmed that more than 75 Palestinian worshippers received first aid treatment inside the yard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque following clashes which erupted when Israeli soldiers broke into the Mosque during the Friday Prayers.

An elderly gentleman named Abu-Kamel who is a guards at the al-Aqsa Mosque, along with another 14 worshippers were injured after having been beaten with batons by the Israeli soldiers.

Mohamed al-Gharableh, the head of the Palestinian Association of Paramedics, said that the Israeli soldiers kept the wounded under siege inside the Mosque for a long time. He also said that the soldiers began shooting tear gas canisters before the Friday Prayers ended.

The Palestinian worshipper were prepared to begin demonstrations after the Prayer in protest at Israeli attacks on students of the Sharia schools inside the al-Aqsa Mosque last week. Thousands took to the streets in protest in several cities across the West Bank.
 
The protests began after the funeral of the Palestinian youth, Hassan Asfour, who died yesterday from injuries sustained during last week’s protests at Israeli violations against Palestinian prisoners.

Meanwhile, witnesses said that Israeli tanks shot a Palestinian youth, who is yet to be identified, in the chest. The spokesman of the Palestinian ministry of health in Gaza, Ashraf al-Qedra, confirmed the news.