Israeli forces have killed more than 140 Palestinians, including over two dozen children, amid rising tensions between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the occupied territories.
The Palestinian Health Ministry announced in a statement on Tuesday evening that a total of 142 Palestinians, including 27 children and seven women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces since the beginning of October, Arabic-language Safa news agency reported.
The ministry further noted that a total of 15,620 Palestinians also sustained injuries during the conflicts.
At least 1,887 Palestinians were shot by live rounds, 3,104 were hit by rubber-coated steel bullets, 10,231 suffered excessive tear gas inhalation, and 360 others suffered injuries due to direct physical assault. Thirty-eight other Palestinians also suffered burns during the scuffles.
The latest wave of tensions was triggered by Israel’s imposition in August of restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.
The restrictions imposed by Israel on entry into the compound have enraged Palestinians, who are also angry at increasing violence by Israeli settlers frequently storming the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of the compound.