200 PALESTINIANS IN GAZA TO ATTEND FRIDAY PRAYERS AT AQSA

Al-Aqsa mosque in the East Jerusalem (Al-Quds). Photo: PNN

East Jerusalem (Al-Quds), 2 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/23 January 2015 (MINA) – Over 200 Palestinians from Gaza left the coastal territory on Friday to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the Palestinian liaison office said.

Most of the group are over 60 and left through the Erez crossing, Maan quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

On Oct. 5, some 500 Palestinians in Gaza prayed at the mosque for the first time since 2007, having been prevented by Israel from traveling to Jerusalem since that time.

The decision to allow Gazans to travel to al-Aqsa was reached part of the ceasefire deal between Palestinian militant groups and Israel that ended the more than 50-day war over summer in which Israeli bombardment killed more than 2,200 Gazans.

Israeli forces generally maintain severe restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement between the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Israel through a complex system of permits.(T/R04/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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