Al-Aqsa Mosque imam detained by Israeli forces after Friday prayers

Israeli forces have detained Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, the imam and preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, as security operations continue in the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to Arab media reports, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein was arrested in Jerusalem shortly after leading Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli authorities have not yet disclosed the reason for his detention or revealed where he is being held.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA also confirmed the arrest of the senior Islamic cleric. The incident has sparked concern among Palestinians amid ongoing tensions in Jerusalem. The detention comes as violence continues in the Gaza Strip. Earlier, Israeli airstrikes and gunfire reportedly killed at least seven Palestinians, including two children aged 10 and 6.

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Medical officials said an Israeli airstrike near a school in Gaza City killed one person, while 12 others were injured in two separate incidents. In another attack, an Israeli airstrike struck a tent sheltering displaced families in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing at least four people, including a 10-year-old child.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reported incidents. Israel has continued carrying out military strikes in Gaza despite a US-mediated ceasefire with Hamas that was reached last October, adding to concerns over the worsening humanitarian and security situation.