RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Jerusalem - 17 September 2023. Israeli forces assault Palestinian worshipers at entrance to Al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem.

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STORYLINE:

Israeli forces brutally attacked Muslim worshippers this morning at Bab as-Silsila (the Chain Gate), one of the main entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, according to local sources.

The sources reported that the occupation forces physically assaulted and beat up three worshippers, including an elderly man and elderly woman, near the Chain Gate. This violent assault occurred after the three had peacefully protested against an Israeli settler who blew a horn at the entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The incident came as Israeli occupation forces intensified their presence around the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, hindering Muslim worshipers from accessing the mosque's courtyards and impeding the entry of Palestinian citizens and students to the compound to facilitate the entry of Israeli Jewish settlers on Rosh Hashanah.

Earlier at dawn, scores of Muslim worshippers had gathered at the holy site following dawn prayers to voice their disapproval of provocations and intrusions by Israeli settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

This incident once again highlights the ongoing violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces and settlers, and raises concerns about the safety and freedom of worship for Palestinian Muslims at one of their holiest sites.

Footage by / APAwire