Palestinians going to Friday prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque found it challenging to breathe as Israeli forces sprayed ‘skunk water’ and used tear gas canisters, Wafa news agency reports.

A Wafa correspondent said Israeli forces cracked down on worshipers who were denied entry into the mosque and instead performed their prayers in the Wadi al-Joz neighbourhood, close to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Israeli forces also reportedly used rubber-coated metal bullets on the worshippers.

Only 12,000 worshipers managed to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their prayers. On a normal Friday, the number of worshippers at Al-Aqsa mosque has reached up to 70,000.

This is the 12th consecutive Friday that Israeli occupation forces have intensified their military measures on entering the Al-Aqsa mosque and on the residents of the Old City.