At least 100,000 Palestinians defy Israeli restrictions at Al Aqsa Friday prayers
Attendance is lower than pre-war levels as security forces deploy across the occupied East Jerusalem.
Approximately 100,000 Palestinians offered weekly Friday prayers in congregation at Al Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem for the second time during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, despite Israeli restrictions, according to an official.
Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib, director general of the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, told Anadolu that roughly 100,000 Muslims attended prayers at the Al Aqsa compound.
An Anadolu correspondent reported a heavy deployment of Israeli police at the entrances to the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, in surrounding areas and alleyways, and at the outer gates of Al Aqsa Mosque.
Muslim faithful began arriving at the mosque before dawn despite the security presence.
Israeli authorities barred tens of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from reaching the occupied East Jerusalem for prayers and imposed strict restrictions at military checkpoints around the city.
Israeli police said they deployed thousands of officers across the occupied East Jerusalem.
The Israeli army also sent large reinforcements to the occupied West Bank checkpoints leading to the occupied East Jerusalem to further restrict access to the mosque.
Since early Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Qalandia military checkpoint north of occupied East Jerusalem in an attempt to reach the city for prayers.
Strict procedures prevented dozens from crossing, with soldiers citing failure to meet pre-set conditions, according to worshippers who said they were turned back despite arriving early.
At the start of Ramadan, Israel approved a plan limiting entry to 10,000 Palestinian Muslims for Friday prayers throughout the holy month.
Last week, about 80,000 Palestinians performed the first Friday prayer of Ramadan at Al Aqsa, according to the Islamic Endowments Department. Current attendance remains lower than pre-war Ramadan Fridays, when more than 150,000 people usually attended.
Ramadan traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to Al Aqsa, filling the mosque compound and boosting commercial activity in Jerusalem’s markets.
Since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October 8, 2023, and continued for two years, Israeli authorities have imposed tight movement restrictions at military checkpoints leading to the occupied East Jerusalem.
Over the past two years, Israel has allowed only limited numbers of Palestinians to enter the city after obtaining army-issued permits, which many say are difficult to secure.