Israeli police have reportedly closed the gates to the third-holiest site in the Muslim world, Al-Aqsa Mosque, after clashes with Palestinian worshippers. Some “suspects” are barricaded in the mosque, according to police.
Protests erupted on the Temple Mount, the location of Jerusalem’s most important mosque, on Friday. Israel police say that clashes started after someone attacked them with stones and fireworks, prompting the security forces to respond with grenades and stun grenades, Haaretz reports.
Blasts can be seen on footage that purportedly shows the clashes, while “Allahu Akbar” can be heard in the background.
The gates to the Al-Aqsa were closed after the stand-off, according to AFP and Haaretz, citing the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf controlling the area. Police say several people were arrested and the operation is still ongoing, as some people barricaded themselves inside.
Palestinian media reported that the Israeli forces also “unleashed barrages of bullet fire and acoustic grenades” after the worshipers tried to push them out of the site.
Dozens of Palestinians were injured in the clashes, according to the Palestinian Information Center. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that several people sustained minor injuries, citing the Waqf in Jerusalem.
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