Second night of Masjid al-Aqsa raids

Israel's Masjid Aqsa raids continue. The second night of the raids took place on Wednesday. There have been three raids in the last 24 hours.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported at least six people were injured in the latest violence. The Islamic Waqf authorities, which manages the compound, said police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.

Israeli police are trying to prove them wrong by saying that self-defense Palestinians engage in aggressive behavior.

Palestinians are not backing down. More Muslims gathered at mosques in Palestine on Wednesday night. At one of the mosque entrances, police officers could be seen escorting dozens of Palestinians out of the compound.

Early on Wednesday, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, firing stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes.

The violence had calmed by early Wednesday morning, but in the evening, Palestinian militants fired two more rockets from Gaza, with one falling short inside Gaza and the other falling near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, the Israeli military said. There were no reports of casualties.

Palestinian militant groups warned that further confrontation was coming, but a Palestinian official said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States and at the United Nations to de-escalate the situation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was working to “calm tensions” at the holy site.

People who were detained at the compound and later released said police used batons, chairs, rifles and whatever else they could find to strike Palestinians, including women and children, who responded by hurling stones and setting off firecrackers that they'd brought to evening prayers for fear of possible clashes. 

Outside the mosque's gate, police dispersed crowds of young men with stun grenades and rubber bullets.