Palestinians injured after Israeli police raid al-Aqsa mosque again

The earlier confrontations, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday, triggered a cross-border exchange of fire in Gaza and stoked fears of further violence.

In the second instance, late on Wednesday night, police entered the compound and tried to evacuate worshippers, using stun grenades and firing rubber bullets, said staff of the Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic organisation managing the complex.

Worshippers threw objects at police, witnesses said. The Palestinian Red Crescent said six people were injured.

In a statement, police said dozens of youngsters brought rocks and firecrackers into the mosque and had tried to barricade themselves inside. The Waqf, however, said police entered the mosque before prayers were over.

Less than 24 hours earlier, police raided the mosque to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians were injured in the earlier clash, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings. Israeli police said two officers were injured.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby voiced concern about the violence at the mosque and said it was imperative that Israelis and Palestinians de-escalate tensions.

Palestinian militants fired at least nine rockets from Gaza into Israel after the first raid, drawing airstrikes that Israel said targeted weapon production sites for the Islamist group Hamas that controls the blockaded coastal enclave.

No casualties were reported on either side of the Gaza border. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rocket attacks but said they were a response to the raid on al-Aqsa, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza.

Just before the second al-Aqsa raid, two more rockets were fired from Gaza. The Israeli military said one fell short and the other in an open space

The Arab League held an emergency meeting after which it condemned the raid and said it endangered regional stability.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China asked the 15-member UN security council to discuss the situation behind closed doors on Thursday, said diplomats.