About 100,000 Palestinians performed Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound despite Israeli security restrictions during the second Friday of Ramadan.
Israeli authorities deployed large numbers of police in and around Jerusalem’s Old City, setting up checkpoints and restricting access for worshippers coming from the occupied West Bank. Many Palestinians reported being turned back or facing long delays at military checkpoints.
The restrictions come amid heightened tensions in East Jerusalem and the wider occupied West Bank. Israeli officials say the measures are necessary for security reasons, especially during the holy month of Ramadan when large crowds gather at the mosque compound.
For Palestinians, however, access to Al-Aqsa, Islam’s third holiest site is seen as both a religious right and a political issue. Limitations on entry during Ramadan often spark anger and can escalate tensions in the region.
Despite the restrictions, thousands made their way to the compound for prayers, filling its courtyards in a show of religious devotion and resilience.