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World reacts to Israeli forces raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque

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More countries and organizations condemned Israel for attacking worshippers in Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and its evictions of Palestinians from their homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers.

Palestinians had over the past couple of weeks staged a series of sit-ins in the area and parts of occupied East Jerusalem to denounce Israel's attempt to forcefully expel residents of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood to make way for Jewish settlements.

Responding to the crackdown, Hamas, the group that rules the Gaza Strip, issued an ultimatum to Israel, saying it had until 6pm (15:00 GMT) to withdraw its forces from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site.

Shortly after the deadline expired, Hamas fired several rockets into Israel. Israel responded by launching air raids at the besieged territory, killing 20 people, according to Gaza health ministry.

Activists in Al-Aqsa welcomed the firing of rockets from Gaza, seeing it as support. "If Israel continues its policies there will be a third Intifada," Palestinian activist Dawood Afifi told Al Jazeera from Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

A huge blaze broke out on Monday evening in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, visible from various parts of the city, Al Jazeera reported.

The cause of the blaze at the third holiest site in Islam could not immediately be confirmed, but it followed Israeli police forces storming the compound which medics said left 331 people wounded.

Here is how countries and the international community have so far reacted to the events:

Turkish president vows mobilization against Israeli 'terror'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to mobilize the world to stop Israeli "terror", in phone calls Monday to Palestinian leaders.

In the calls to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, Erdogan denounced Israel's actions and extended support.

The Turkish leader pledged to "do everything in his power to mobilise the world, starting with the Islamic world, to stop Israel's terror and occupation," his office said.

Thousands of people rallied on Monday outside the Israeli embassy in Ankara and the country's consulate in Istanbul in protest of recent Israeli violence against Palestinians.

The protesters in Istanbul carried Palestinian flags and chanted, "Down with Israel, down with America".

Saudi Arabia has condemned attacks carried out by Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa, a foreign ministry statement said Tuesday. The actions have caused concern in the Muslim world as the site is one of the most religious in Islam. The Saudi ministry of foreign affairs strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the occupation forces at Al-Aqsa mosque transgressing the safety and security of the worshippers, the statement said. Saudi Arabia urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for the escalation of the events and calls for the immediate cessation of any exacerbation violating the international pacts and treaties, it added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif took to Twitter to blame Israel for stealing "people's land & homes" and creating "an Apartheid regime".

He also accused Israel of refusing to vaccinate citizens "under illegal occupation" and accused Israeli police of shooting "innocent worshippers" inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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Author and journalist. Author of Islamic Pakistan: Illusions & Reality; Islam in the Post-Cold War Era; Islam & Modernism; Islam & Muslims in the Post-9/11 America. Currently working as free lance journalist. Executive Editor of American (more...)
 
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