Israel said it hit Hamas positions in southern Lebanon and Gaza early Friday. Only hours following, several rockets were launched from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory, which the Israeli military accused of Palestinian rebels. The number of rockets shot from Lebanon was the greatest since 2006, yet no one was killed in the strikes in Gaza, Israel, or Lebanon. The attacks caused only minor harm to buildings, cars, and agricultural lands on all sides.The nighttime clashes occurred after Israeli police conducted two violent raids on Jerusalems al-Aqsa mosque in less than 24 hours, beginning on Wednesday.Nonetheless, the intense situation on the ground continues. In what Israeli police termed a “terrorist assault” on Friday, two girls were killed, and their mother was seriously injured in a gunshot in the occupied West Bank that was directed at a group of settlers as they were driving. Hamas and Islamic Jihad both commended the event as a “heroic operation.” The conflict this year has occurred at a delicate moment for both Israelis and Palestinians. While Jews are enjoying Passover, Muslims have been observing Ramadan, a holy month.Israel is still dealing with the fallout from widespread protests against a contentious court reform, which only significantly lessened last week after a stay was declared and left the nation bitterly divided.Jerusalem: The place of disputesJews refer to the Temple Mount as the holiest place in Judaism, and Muslims refer to the same site of the Al-Aqsa mosque complex as Al Haram Al Sharif, making it the third holiest place in Islam. The Al-Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding compound are situated in Jerusalems Old City, which the majority of the worlds nations believe to be under Israeli control. Israel regards both East and West Jerusalem as a component of its “eternal capital” after capturing East Jerusalem in 1967.East Jerusalem is under Israeli police authority, and Zonszein claimed that since the Second Palestinian Intifada, or revolt, in 2000, Israeli incursions on the site have escalated.Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Occupied Palestinian Territories, stated that Israeli police have been storming the neighborhood with changing regularity and ferocity for several years, particularly during Ramadan. This time, she claims, is different because it takes place amid unprecedented levels of Israeli-Palestinian violence and provocative rhetoric directed at Palestinians by several far-right Israeli politicians. After extreme Jewish groups urged Jews to visit the property and sacrifice goats as part of an antiquated Passover tradition that is no longer observed, calls for Muslims to spend the night in the mosque rose.Israeli police claimed that al-Aqsa was stormed on Wednesday after “hundreds of rioters and mosque desecrators (had) barricaded themselves,” and they were met with fireworks and stones by “agitators” after they entered. According to the status quo agreement, non-Muslims are permitted to visit the Temple Mount but are not permitted to pray there. On Thursday, a police spokeswoman claimed that their goal was to incite a violent disturbance specifically against early-morning Temple Mount visitors. There have been campaigns to permit Jewish prayer there by some members of the present Israeli government.Israeli police were shown on camera hitting wailing Muslim worshippers with riot shields early on Wednesday. According to an eyewitness, the police also used rubber bullets, stun grenades, and broken windows and doors. The raid sparked uproar in Arab countries and was condemned by Israels allies, notably the US. Even though the status quo accord forbids Israeli intrusion into the Al-Aqsa mosque and Israels control over East Jerusalem is not recognised by international law, it has frequently sought to ban overnight Muslim prayers there.
