ALEXANDRIA, Va – Islamic Relief is appalled at the violence carried out against Palestinian worshippers at the Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan.
Israeli forces entered the site just before dawn today (Wednesday, April 5, 2023), with eyewitnesses reporting they fired rubber bullets and stun grenades, and beat worshippers including women. Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been arrested and more than a dozen injured. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that its medics were prevented from accessing Al Aqsa to treat the wounded. Rockets were later fired from Gaza into Israel, with no injuries reported so far, and an Israeli airstrike hit Gaza.
The arrests and injuries at Al Aqsa come as violence against civilians has escalated across the Occupied Palestinian Territory this year. At least 88 Palestinians, including around 17 children, and 15 Israelis are reported to have been killed in the first quarter of this year, with hundreds more Palestinians injured.
Islamic Relief strongly condemns all attacks on civilians and calls for a lasting solution rooted in justice and international law, including an end to the Israeli occupation. We further condemn any attacks on places of worship and call for an end to attacks against religious sites.
Sharif Aly, Islamic Relief USA’s CEO, says:
“IRUSA strongly condemns the attack on worshipers praying at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The brutal violence committed against Palestinians praying during this holy month of Ramadan impedes on their fundamental right to religious freedom. It is unfortunate and unacceptable that we have come to expect escalations in violence against Palestinians every Ramadan, and it cannot continue to go unnoticed by the world community. This should not be normalized.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
mhassan@irusa.org or
(571) 421-7032 (CELL)
XXX
Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.