Violence and destruction at Israel's al-Aqsa mosque; India calls for maintaining calm

Israeli police on Wednesday raided the holiest site in Jerusalem, al-Aqsa mosque, where police claimed Palestinians had barricaded themselves inside.

According to reports, Israeli police stormed the mosque and clashed with dozens of Palestinians inside its compound triggering widespread condemnation.

At least 31 Palestinians were reportedly injured, triggering a rocket fire from Gaza. Israeli police responded by intensifying airstrikes on military posts in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Human Rights Watch too condemned the Israeli police’s storming of the Al-Aqsa.

Israeli Police raided the Mosque for a second consecutive night on Thursday, firing stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian worshippers, reported Al Jazeera.

Visuals from the mosque depict Israeli forces opening gun-fire and violence while Palestinian worshipers call for help.

India on Thursday urged all sides to maintain calm. "Our position on the Palestine question has been clear and consistent. We are committed to supporting all efforts to resume direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a two-state solution," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.

He was replying to a question on the violent scenes at the mosque.

"At this sensitive time, we would urge all sides to maintain calm," he said. 

In line with India's closeties with Tel-Aviv, Bagchi did not take any explicit stance on the long-drawn Israel-Palestine conflict.

Meanwhile, British singer Cat Stevens said: "The first mosque I ever prayed in was Al Aqsa, Jerusalem. I am gutted, seeing the brutal attack on worshippers in the Holy month of Ramadan, on the days of Passover. Do they not have hearts?"