Israeli police intervention sparks violence during Ramadan, Passover, and Holy Week.

More than 150 Palestinians were injured in clashes at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday, following an intervention by Israeli riot police. The violence erupted when Israeli forces entered the compound before dawn prayers to remove rocks and stones, which they claimed were being gathered in anticipation of potential violence. Medics reported that the majority of the injuries were caused by rubber bullets, stun grenades, and police batons.

The Al-Aqsa mosque, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims, has long been a flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian tensions, and this incident follows a recent surge in violence. The clashes come at a particularly sensitive time, as Ramadan, Passover, and Christian Holy Week coincide, bringing thousands of religious pilgrims to Jerusalem’s Old City. Tensions at the holy site last year contributed to an 11-day war with Hamas militants in Gaza.