Israeli Forces Fired Tear Gas At Worshippers In Al-Aqsa Mosque On The Last Friday Of Ramadan
Israeli forces fired tear gas at worshippers in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque after they performed dawn prayers on one of the most sacred nights in the Islamic calendar.
Israeli forces fired tear gas at worshippers in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque after they performed dawn prayers on one of the most sacred nights in the Islamic calendar.
This year, April 5 is the 27th night of Ramadan, which is believed to be Laylat Al-Qadr or the Night of Power.
Laylat Al-Qadr is one of the most important nights in the Islamic calendar as Muslims believe it was the night when the holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Although the exact date of Laylat Al-Qadr is unclear, it is a commonly held belief that it falls in the last 10 nights of Ramadan and is most likely the 27th night.
This year, more than 65,000 worshippers gathered to perform dawn prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, on the 27th night, despite Israeli security restrictions.
After praying, thousands of worshippers started chanting slogans to protest against Israel’s war on Gaza, but they were met with violence as Israeli forces began firing tear gas at them.
Israeli forces also arrested at least five young worshippers as they exited the holy site according to Palestinian Wafa News agency.
Israeli police said in a statement that police had moved to disperse the crowd because some of the slogans were “provocative” and that other people had set off fireworks towards the policemen, according to Reuters.
It said it had detained 16 Palestinians outside the compound.
Since October 7, Israeli forces have imposed restrictions on people entering Al-Aqsa, which are heightened on Fridays.
They installed barriers at the Old City entrances and Al-Aqsa Mosque’s outer gates, allowing only elderly individuals to pass.
This year, during the month of Ramadan, the Israeli authorities imposed additional restrictions on those arriving at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
