JERUSALEM, Thursday, August 15, 2019 (WAFA) – At least three Palestinians were shot and injured this afternoon by Israeli police gunfire inside the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, according to witnesses.

They said police and a Jewish settler opened fire at the Palestinians after they allegedly came under attack, injuring at least three, one of them a guard at Al-Aqsa Mosque identified as Omran Rajabi.

The Red Crescent said while its ambulances were able to transport a Palestinian who was shot in the leg to a hospital in East Jerusalem for treatment, they were not allowed by police to reach the other wounded Palestinians, who apparently were taken away by Israeli ambulances and held in custody. Their situation was not immediately known.

Israeli reports said a policeman was stabbed and injured before opening fire at Palestinians near Chains Gate in Jerusalem‘s Old City, one of the gates leading to the walled Al-Aqsa Mosque, injuring at least three.

Israeli police are constantly present at all the gates leading to the Muslim holy compound, which they closed after the alleged stabbing attack and prevented Muslims from entering it for the evening prayer.

Officials from the Islamic Waqf, which is in charge of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said police stormed the compound and forced all those present inside to leave it.

At the same time, calls were made on Muslims to rush to their mosque and hold the prayers at its gates if the Israeli police insist on closing its doors.

T.R.