Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli forces on Friday arrested seven Palestinians from the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood in the occupied East Jerusalem.

The Israeli police said in a statement a joint force of Israeli police and the border police arrested seven Palestinians from Wadi al-Joz for allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli forces.

Eyewitnesses, however, told Anadolu that the Israeli police assaulted dozens of Palestinians who performed the Friday prayers in the streets of Jerusalem after being denied entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli police.

The Israeli forces assaulted the Palestinians with stun grenades and teargas canisters, the eyewitnesses added.

For the 10th Friday in a row since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 7, the Israeli forces have restricted entry of Palestinian worshippers into Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,787 Palestinians have since been killed and 50,897 injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, while 135 hostages are still held by the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar