Hundred Thousands Pray at Al-Aqsa During Ramadan Despite Israeli Restrictions

About 100,000 Palestinian worshippers performed Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on the second Friday of Ramadan, despite strict access restrictions imposed by Israel.

According to media reports, worshippers faced extensive security checks while passing through the Qalandiya checkpoint, north of Jerusalem. Israeli forces were deployed in large numbers around the city.

At the start of Ramadan, Israeli authorities announced limits allowing only 10,000 Palestinians with daily permits to enter the mosque compound for Friday prayers—far fewer than the hundreds of thousands who typically attend in previous years.

Under the current rules, entry is restricted to men aged over 55, women aged 50 and above, and children under 12 who are accompanied by relatives. Worshippers returning to the occupied West Bank are also required to complete digital verification at checkpoints.

In addition, Israeli authorities have recently barred 280 Jerusalem residents—including religious figures, journalists and former prisoners—from attending prayers at Al-Aqsa.

Restrictions on access have tightened further since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Despite the official cap, attendance again exceeded the stated limit. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, which manages the mosque compound, said around 80,000 worshippers attended prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan.

However, many Palestinians reported being denied entry even after presenting permits. Najati Oweida, who travelled from Hebron, told Anadolu Agency that Israeli soldiers turned him back.

“I only wanted to pray at Al-Aqsa, but I was stopped despite having a permit,” he said.

Another worshipper, Ali Nawas, 58, said he and his wife travelled for more than an hour from Nablus, but his wife was denied entry at the checkpoint.

“I had to return with her. I could not let her go back alone,” he said.