More than 26 Palestinians, including children, Killed by Israeli air strikes on Gaza

More than 26 Palestinians got killed, including 9 children and one woman, due to Israeli air raids over Gaza. Earlier, Hamas launched rockets to occupied territories on Sunday evening and Monday morning. Hamas responded that they are defending themselves and responding to the attacks and violence done by Israel in Al Aqsa Mosque and the city of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson of Izz el-Deen Al Qassam Brigades in Gaza, the military wing of Hamas movement, reported that “a volley of rockets was fired toward the enemy in occupied Jerusalem in response to its crimes and aggression on the holy city and repression of its residents in Sheikh Jarrah and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.” Arab News said. In addition, Al Qassam Brigades warned the Israeli police to evacuate Sheikh Jarrah and Al Aqsa Mosque, and release the Palestinian detainees with a deadline until 6:00 pm.

The rockets fired from Gaza to occupied territories were intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome defense system and no injuries were reported. According to Jonathan Conricus , the army spokesperson, said that about 90% of the rockets were intercepted, Arab News said.

Israel escalated the conflict by attacking the Gaza Strip. It responded by 130 raids using fighter jets and attack helicopters, resulting in killing 15 commanders from Hamas. The Prime Minister Netanyahu, said, “Palestinians crossed the red line.”  According to Conricus, Israel targeted sites as weapons manufacturing, storage facilities, and militant training areas. Accordingly, Al Qassam Brigades vowed that it would turn Ashkelon into “hell.”

Both Palestinians in Gaza and Israel continue exchanging heavy fires and raids. Al Qassam Brigades and the Islamic Jihad announced the death of their leaders and some of their military components as a result of Israeli continuous raids over the Gaza Strip.

According to Ahmed Abul Gheit, the Secretary General of the Arab League, said, “Israeli attacks over Gaza are random and irresponsible,” Alarabiya said.

The developments in Gaza were the result of Jerusalem incidents started by the Israeli Occupation Forces by forcefully expulsing Palestinian families from their own homes in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. The expulsion came for the sake of Jewish settlers in an attempt to Judaize Jerusalem. In addition, Israeli forces angered Palestinians when they decided to add security barriers at the Damascus Gate at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Clashes around Al-Aqsa Mosque have started when the Israeli forces used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades, most of them were fired inside the mosque. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, more than 520 Palestinians during the holy month of Ramadan were injured since Monday, where 200 of them were hospitalized and five of them in critical condition. The Israeli police reported that only 32 of their soldiers were injured. Adnan Farhoud, the director of Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem, said, “most of Monday’s injuries were to the head, chest and limbs”, adding that “when you mean to harm someone, you shoot at the head.”

King Abdullah II of Jordan, the custodian of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites, condemned “Israeli violations and escalatory practices at the blessed al-Aqsa mosque.”

Jerusalem is a sacred city of great religious importance to Muslims. The old city includes Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site to Muslims being called Al-Haram al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary). Israel claims that the holy site has its two biblical temple known as Temple Mount.