Israeli occupation forces wound three worshipers and arrest three others inside Al-Aqsa Mosque

Three Palestinian worshipers were wounded on Tuesday morning and dozens suffered from suffocation by tear gas canisters when Israeli occupation forces escorted a group of Israeli settlers to carry out a tour inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Palestinian sources from inside the Mosque reported that the Israeli settlers, protected by occupation forces, broke into the sanctuary yards from the Mughrabi Gate. The worshipers, who were inside, tried to prevent the settlers from wandering inside the Mosque.

Extremist Israeli settlers and politicians have lately been violating the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque almost on a daily basis and always under the protection of armed occupation forces, which often attack Palestinian worshipers who try to protect their holy site.

Samer Siam, one of the worshipers, wrote on his Facebook page that the Palestinians could have swept the settlers out of the Mosque on Tuesday, but three of them were injured and dozens suffered from suffocation because of the heavy tear gas fired by Israeli occupation forces.

Other witnesses said that the occupation forces arrested three worshipers and led them to an unidentified place. Israeli occupation authorities later confirmed the arrests.

Immediately after the clashes were over, the occupation forces closed all the gates of the Mosque and restricted the number of Muslim worshipers entering into the yards to perform their daily prayers.

Israeli occupation authorities announced that two Israeli police staff were lightly wounded by stones thrown by the worshipers during the operation.