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Photo:
Israeli soldiers at al-Aqsa. File? Published by IMEMC News
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by IMEMC News
April 16, 2021

Israeli soldiers abducted, late on Thursday at night and on Friday at dawn, eight young Palestinian men, and assaulted dozens of worshipers, after the army and the police stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, to remove the worshipers.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers and the police assaulted dozens of worshippers inside al-Qibli Mosque in Al-Aqsa compound, while trying to forcibly remove them from the holy site.

They added that the soldiers also attacked many worshippers in the courtyards of the holy compound, before abducting seven young men, and took them to an unknown destination.

The soldiers also assaulted many Palestinians in the Bab as-Sahera area, before undercover officers kidnapped a young man.

It is worth mentioning that, on Friday at dawn, the army prevented hundreds of Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa, and closed all roads and alleys leading to it, by installing more roadblocks and pushing dozens of additional soldiers and officers.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers only allowed a limited number of Palestinians into the holy site and prevented hundreds from entering the holy compound to pray and mark the first Friday of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

They added that the police also detained many Palestinian, who came from several parts of the occupied West Bank, to pray and mark the first Friday, allegedly for not carrying entry permits.

On Thursday, and for the third day in a row, the Israeli soldiers and police officers continued to attack Muslim worshipers while entering or leaving the Al-Aqsa Mosque and assaulted many following evening prayers.

On Wednesday night, the soldiers abducted a young Palestinian man in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to another man who was taken prisoner on Wednesday evening, in addition to attacking many Palestinians while leaving the holy site.

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army, and the police, have increased their violations against the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, especially in and around Al-Aqsa Mosque since the beginning of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

These violations include preventing the calls for prayers in the holy site’s four minarets, in addition to preventing the entry of meals to the worshippers in the evening hours after a long day of fasting without food or water.