Al-Quds, MINA – Israeli police forces on Friday barred thousands of Palestinian Muslims from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for weekly congregational prayers, allowing only a few hundred worshippers access to the site, according to Anadolu Agency.
According to eyewitnesses, Israeli officers were deployed from early morning around the Old City’s gates and the mosque’s outer entrances, restricting movement and access. Only about 450 Palestinians were permitted to enter, leaving the vast courtyards and prayer areas of Al-Aqsa almost deserted.
This comes after Israeli authorities partially reopened the mosque gates on Wednesday night, following nearly six days of complete closure ordered by the Israeli military’s Home Front Command amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
Since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza on October 7, access to Al-Aqsa has faced regular restrictions, especially on Fridays. The closure of Jerusalem’s most sacred Islamic site has added to Palestinian frustrations, as worship at Al-Aqsa is deeply symbolic and religiously significant.
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Meanwhile, violence has surged across the occupied West Bank. Israeli military forces and illegal settlers have intensified attacks on Palestinians, their properties, and places of worship. The ongoing escalation has resulted in the deaths of at least 980 Palestinians, with around 7,000 injured and more than 17,500 detained. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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