As the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages on, hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets in the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah, on Friday (Oct 27) to express support for the militant group. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Israeli security forces restricted young Palestinians from entering the Al-Aqsa mosque for prayers and deployed personnel in strength in a bid to quell any unrest spilling over from the war in Gaza.
What happened in West Bank?
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli troops killed four Palestinians during a dawn raid in the north of the occupied West Bank. Two of those killed were identified as members of Hamas.
The protests in the West Bank were said to have started just hours after the raid. At least three Palestinians were also killed in “violent clashes” in the city of Jenin during an incursion by “a large contingent” of Israeli forces, reported Wafa.
Around a dozen people were also injured during the skirmishes, the Palestinian news agency reported. Protests also erupted in Hebron in the West Bank, reported Reuters.
The continued Israeli raids as well as alleged attacks by the settlers in the West Bank have sparked protests and unrest for months now, but the situation has worsened since Hamas launched its surprise attack on southern Israel from Gaza on October 7.
According to the Israeli military, their personnel came under attack during arrest operations in the city of Jenin and fired back, killing two men.
Subsequently, the Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed one of them belonged to it and Hamas, in a separate statement, confirmed that one of their fighters was killed in Jenin.
The death toll due to the violence in the West Bank since the beginning of the war now stands at 110, reported Wafa.
What happened in Jerusalem?
Israeli security forces stopped young Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa mosque, a contested site which has been at the centre of many deadly clashes and fights between Israelis and Palestinians over the years.
According to a Reuters journalist, a large number of Israeli police kept guard around Al-Aqsa as Palestinians gathered for Friday prayers and at one point they fired tear gas.
This was the third week in a row that Palestinians were restricted from praying at the mosque following the Hamas assault on southern Israel.
Palestinians were reportedly made to say prayers outside the Old City, gathering by roadsides while Israeli security forces watched. However, eventually, about 5,000 elderly worshippers were allowed into Al-Aqsa mosque.
According to the Jerusalem Islamic Endowments Department, which is in charge of the mosque, said that normally about 50,000 would take part.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
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