Thousands of Palestinian Muslims flock to Masjid al-Aqsa to perform morning prayer

Thousands of Palestinians early Saturday flocked to the Masjid al-Aqsa in East Jerusalem for performing morning prayer a few hours after the Israeli police attack on worshippers late Friday.

The Palestinians passed through the front two gates of Al-Asbat and Hutta on the northern wall of the Masjid al-Aqsa.

Following the Israeli police attacks against the Palestinians last evening, all doors of the Al-Aqsa Mosque were closed but were reopened later towards the morning hours.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Fadi Al-Hidmi, came to the Al-Maqasid Hospital in East Jerusalem in the morning and received information from the doctors about the situation of the wounded there.
A written statement from Al-Hidmi's office wished fast recovery to the wounded and denounced Israel's deliberate attack on worshiping Palestinians.

Israeli police attempted to disperse worshippers inside the Haram al-Sharif area of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday evening, using stun grenades and gas bombs.

The number of injured rose to 205 in Israeli attacks at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Damascus gate of the Old City and Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem, the Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.