The clashes erupted after Palestinian children and workers were denied entry through the Ras al-Amoud military checkpoint between Silwan and the Old City, preventing access to schools and workplaces.
"Amjad al-Abbasi of Silwan’s Wadi Hilweh Information Center told Ma’an that Israeli troops fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets at protesting students. Two school boys were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets and several others were hurt by tear gas."
An official at Silwan’s parents committee told Ma’an that Israeli forces have set up three military checkpoints in Ras al-Amoud area over the last two weeks.
The checkpoints impede entry of thousands of schoolchildren and their teachers to school in the morning, interrupting normal school schedules, he added.
Al-Abbasi told Ma’an that the presence of Israeli forces at neighborhood entrances is causing psychological trauma on children. Parents, meanwhile, are fearful of their children being shot or injured by Israeli soldiers.
Separately on Wednesday, Israeli forces launched multiple predawn detention raids in the Old City, al-Issawiya, and Shufat refugee camp detaining 13 Palestinians, including three minors.
Lawyer Muhammad Mahmoud of prisoners’ rights group Addameer anounced that the detainees works at the Palestinian Ministry of Endowment.
At least 74 Palestinians, including 14 children, have reportedly lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces since the beginning of October. Some 8,262 others have also sustained injuries.
At least 11 Israelis have been killed and 145 others injured during the same period.
The fresh wave of tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories was triggered by the Israeli regime’s imposition in August of restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina; Maan News reported.
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