Hamas Calls for Mass Mobilization to Confront ‘Israel,’ Defend Al-Aqsa

By Staff, Agencies

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas urged all Palestinians to mobilize for confronting the ‘Israeli’ occupation and colonial settlers and to head to the holy al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Old City of al-Quds in droves amid intensified ‘Israeli’ assaults on worshippers at the holy site.

In a statement issued Friday, Hamas said the Palestinian people should stay at the al-Aqsa Mosque throughout the last ten days of the holy fasting month of Ramadan to defend al-Quds and the mosque as well as the Palestinian worshippers there, the Palestinian Information Center reported.

"Palestinian unity and resistance in confronting the ‘Israeli’ occupation and ‘Israeli’ colonial settlers will deter them from implementing their malicious schemes targeting al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque," the statement read.

Earlier on Friday, the Zionist occupation military forces once again attacked Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society affirmed that rubber-coated metal bullets injured 31 people, including one paramedic, while dozens more suffered from tear gas inhalation.

It also reported that three journalists were wounded in the savage ‘Israeli’ assault, including one who was hit with a rubber-coated bullet in his throat.

At least 11 young men were transferred to hospital for treatment, two of them in serious condition.

Tensions between the Palestinians and ‘Israeli’ occupiers have witnessed a sharp rise since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, as ‘Israeli’ occupation forces have stepped up raids of al-Aqsa Mosque, assaulting Muslim worshipers inside prayer halls and providing protection to the ‘Israeli’ settlers desecrating Islam’s third holiest site.

The Zionist crimes have sparked widespread condemnation from Muslim countries as well as warnings for an outbreak of a new war with Gaza.

In a statement released after an emergency meeting in Amman on Thursday, the Arab League said the constant ‘Israeli’ violations and incursions at the holy al-Aqsa Mosque compound has been a flagrant affront to Muslim feelings that could trigger a wider conflict.