Dozens injured in fresh raid by Israeli forces on al-Aqsa Mosque

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zionist troops entered in force before dawn on Friday, as thousands of worshipers gathered at the mosque for early morning prayers.

The sources added that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades as worshipers barricaded themselves inside the mosque amid what appeared to be clouds of tear gas.

Palestinian media said at least 43 Palestinians were injured in the raid.

The development comes a day after as many as 30 Palestinians were wounded after Israeli forces continued their violent attacks against worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied al-Quds.

The forces attacked the Palestinian worshipers, who had gathered for dawn prayers at the compound on Thursday.

“One person was transferred to hospital with a rubber bullet [wound] to his back,” medical sources were quoted as saying.

The troops used rubber bullets, tear gas canisters, stun grenades, and pepper spray against the worshipers, who have been braving increasing aggression ordered by the Israeli regime since the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Palestinians returned the violence by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails.

In their most serious bout of aggression against the Palestinians during Ramadan, Israeli forces injured more than 150 worshipers at the compound last Saturday.

Meanwhile, a young Palestinian man has succumbed to wounds he suffered days earlier after dozens of Israeli military forces engaged in confrontations with a group of Palestinian demonstrators in the northern part of the occupied West Bank and fired live rounds to suppress the protest.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing medical sources, reported that 20-year-old Lutfi Ibrahim Labadi, a resident of the town of al-Yamun, died of his serious injuries early on Friday.

Local sources, who asked not to be named, said Israeli troops shot the young man with live rounds last week during skirmishes that erupted when the forces stormed the city of Jenin and opened fire on hundreds of people protesting against the desecration of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of al-Quds and violent attacks on worshipers.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement says his group has learned how to deal with the Israeli regime, which only understands the language of force.

“Resistance groups, while increasing their readiness, are following up on the developments in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds and will not remain indifferent to the crimes of the occupiers,” Tariq Salmi said.

Salmi added, “Palestinian resistance forces are constantly improving their military capabilities as they are determined to thwart the objectives and policies of the Zionist regime.”

“Israeli occupation is the red line to the Palestinian people. Muslim nations and resistance groups will fight on until the menace is completely eradicated, and Palestinians’ historical rights are restored,” he said.

“The enemy’s threats will not stop [Palestinian] resistance groups from treading the path of struggle and martyrdom as they confront the policies of the occupiers. Such threats are a sign of the helplessness of the Zionist regime in the face of the Palestinian nation,” the spokesman added.