“Israel” Plays with Fire: Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa, Palestinian Worshippers under Attack

By Staff, Agencies

As part of the blatant continuous acts of aggression on Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque, a group of “Israeli” military forces and settlers have stormed Al-Aqsa in the occupied Old City of al-Quds and clashed with Muslim Palestinian worshipers there.

Things started Thursday as the “Israeli” occupation forces attacked the Southern prayer hall at Al-Aqsa Mosque and fired sound grenades and rubber bullets toward the Palestinian worshipers, amid rising tensions in the run-up to the 74th anniversary of Nakba Day [Catastrophe Day].

The "Israeli" forces assaulted and chased Muslim worshipers to make way for settlers to enter the holy site after smashing one of its gates.

The fresh scuffles broke out after the flashpoint al-Quds holy site was reopened to “Israeli” settlers.

According to Palestinian media reports, “Israeli” forces used tear gas to disperse Palestinians at the site. At least 12 worshipers were injured while dozens suffocated from the tear gas.

The “Israeli” police arrested one of the Palestinian worshipers sheltered inside the mosque itself and took him to an unknown place.

Meanwhile, far-right Zionist Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed al-Aqsa Mosque. During a speech, he called for the regime to change the status quo of the holy site by constructing Jewish synagogues and temples there.

In response, a spokesman for the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement, based in Gaza, hailed fellow Palestinians for their heroic steadfastness in facing “Israeli” military forces at the al-Aqsa Mosque, saying their “great bravery” will thwart the conspiracies of the occupiers.

Hazem Qassem said the fear and anxiety that have filled the Zionist regime’s institutions and settlers show their defeat in the face of the Palestinian nation’s will and resistance.

He emphasized that al-Aqsa was and will remain a holy Islamic, Arab and Palestinian site.

In a statement, Jasser al-Barghouti, head of Hamas’ national relations office in the West Bank, warned the Tel Aviv regime against crossing “red lines” at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Hamas also cautioned the entity against “playing with fire and dragging the region into an escalation for which the occupation bears full responsibility.”

This comes as “Israel” sharply escalated its deadly attacks against Palestinians in the run-up to the month of Ramadan and sustained the violence throughout the fasting month.