About 130 thousand Muslims came on Friday to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem, the holy mosque for the followers of Islam. This was reported by the Sky News Arabia TV channel. According to the channel, the worshippers filled the Al-Aqsa mosque and the surrounding area in the Old City.
Israeli police blocked almost all entrances to the Old City before Friday prayers to prevent Muslims from gathering near Al-Aqsa. All crossings from the Palestinian West Bank into Israeli territory were blocked for the same purpose. Additional units of Israeli security forces were pulled to the Temple Mount and at least 2,300 law enforcers were deployed to the mosque itself.
The prayer of Muslims takes place on the third Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. According to the channel, which reports live from the Temple Mount, the situation near Al-Aqsa is relatively calm at the moment. The Al Mayadeen TV channel reported that groups of Palestinian youths deployed several posters in support of the resistance in the Gaza Strip and began shouting anti-Israeli slogans at the place of prayer.
Friday prayers on the Temple Mount come amid a sharp escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. A few hours ago, two women were killed in an armed attack near the Israeli settlement of Hamra in the West Bank.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli security forces stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque, using stun grenades and tear gas as well as rubber bullets and batons. According to Al Mayadeen Lebanese TV channel more than 400 people were detained. Meanwhile, Israeli police reported Wednesday that dozens of young people wearing masks barricaded themselves inside the temple complex and began chanting slogans and calling for riots. Police officers then had to enter its grounds.
On Thursday, the Israel defense forces spokesman said that at least 34 rockets were launched from Lebanese territory towards the Jewish state and that 25 of them were intercepted by the air defense system. It was also reported later that mortar shells were launched from Lebanon towards the town of Metula in northern Israel. The Israeli military responded by shelling southern Lebanese areas, Al Mayadeen reported. According to the Israeli Kan Radio station, on Friday night the military attacked three Palestinian Hamas sites in southern Lebanon and more than 10 military targets of the radical organization in the Gaza Strip.
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Based on materials from TASS