At least 20 Palestinians injured as Israeli police raid Al-Aqsa hours after ceasefire

JERUSALEM – At least 20 Palestinians were injured when the Israeli police raided the compound of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and fired stun grenades, teargas shells and rubber bullets at the worshippers after the Friday prayers.

The raid came around 12 hours after a ceasefire agreement between the Israeli military and Hamas.

Videos circulating on social media show the Israeli occupant forces firing tear gas shells, rubber bullets, and stun grenades and the worshippers scrambling to safety amid the explosions.

Footage coming out of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. pic.twitter.com/e754CpFAxr

— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) May 21, 2021

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Friday after both sides reached an agreement to end 11 days of deadly air strikes attacks that pounded the Palestinian enclave and killed over 200 people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the “mutual and unconditional” ceasefire after a late-night meeting of the Security Cabinet, saying it had unanimously accepted an Egyptian proposal but that the two sides were still determining exactly when it was to take effect.

The truce was brokered by Egyptian mediators, while US President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastation of the worst fighting in years with humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad also confirmed the ceasefire in statements.

"This is the euphoria of victory," said Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas figure, in front of a crowd of thousands of Palestinians who had gathered in the streets to celebrate.

"The political leadership emphasises that it is the reality on the ground that will determine the future of the operation," it added.

Celebrations were heard on Gaza streets in the minutes after the truce began as cars honked their horns and some guns were fired in the air, AFP journalists said, while in the occupied West Bank, joyful crowds also took to the streets.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres took to twitter and welcomed the ceasefire.