A young Palestinian man named Muhammad al-Osibi was fatally shot by Israeli occupation forces on Friday evening near the Chain Gate at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds.
According to eyewitnesses, the young man was trying to protect a Palestinian girl who was being prevented by occupation troops from entering the holy site and was being assaulted. The Israeli occupation forces reportedly opened fire on him after a fight with one of them.
The shooting prompted the closure of the doors of the mosque and the mobilization of a large number of Israeli occupation forces in the courtyards of the mosque, with restrictions imposed in the Old City.
📹 متابعة صفا | شاهد | مكان إطلاق النار على شاب قرب باب السلسىة بالأقصى pic.twitter.com/Ub0vdDyApD
— وكالة صفا (@SafaPs) March 31, 2023
The incident comes amid increasing violence against Muslim worshipers during the holy month of Ramadan. Muhammad al-Osibi was from the Bedouin town of Hura in the occupied Negev.
According to Palestine’s Shehab news agency, Israeli media have confirmed that the man was shot while attempting to protect a Palestinian woman.
The Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli police had used force against worshipers at al-Aqsa Mosque near the Chain Gate, which resulted in a dispute between the young man and police officers. It is alleged that the police officers fired directly at him.
#شاهد قوات الاحتلال تعتدي على المواطنين على أبواب المسجد الأقصى. pic.twitter.com/0pPMkgiX5A
— Newpress | نيو برس (@NewpressPs) March 31, 2023
This comes as more than 250,000 Palestinians gathered on Friday to perform prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite strict Israeli restrictions.
Source: Palestine News Network
