Palestinian protestors walk around during clashes with Israeli security forces at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem’s Old City April 22, 2022. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

i24 News – Violent clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount on the last Friday of Ramadan, the latest unrest during the Muslim faith’s holiest month.

The unrest was triggered when dozens of Palestinian demonstrators started to throw rocks and launch fireworks toward the Western Wall – located beneath the Temple Mount – which prompted police to enter the compound to disperse the crowds, The Times of Israel reported.

Masked men waved the flag of Hamas, the governing terror group of Gaza, chanting, “We’ll sacrifice our lives for al-Aqsa,” police said.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, over 40 people were wounded at the flashpoint site, while protestors barricaded themselves in the al-Aqsa Mosque.

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The last Friday of Ramadan, called “Alvida Jumma” or “Friday of Farewell,” carries heavy significance for Muslims across the world, with some regarding it as one of the holiest days of the year.

It is also known among Palestinians as Quds Day — initiated by Iran in 1979 as a day of solidarity against Israel and Zionism.

Tens of thousands of worshipers were expected to attend Friday prayers at the mosque complex, and Israeli police increased deployment in Jerusalem ahead of the holy day.

Protests and violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out on all the past Fridays during Ramadan this year, feeding concerns of a wider conflict breaking out.

Earlier this week, some 200,000 people participated in mass prayers marking the Laylat al-Qadr — when the Quran was first sent down from Heaven — at the Temple Mount.

Despite month-long tensions in Jerusalem, the largest religious event in the Israeli capital ended relatively calm.