A brief statement from the Jerusalem Islamic Endowments Department announced that nearly 50,000 worshippers attended the Tarawih prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque before the second Friday of Ramadan.
However, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces closed Al-Wad Street in Jerusalem's Old City, hindering access to the mosque and making it difficult for worshippers to reach it.
Israel's restriction of access to Al-Aqsa Mosque comes amid increased tensions across the occupied West Bank following the ongoing Israeli army offensive in the Gaza Strip, which was launched after a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, resulting in a high number of casualties.
Al-Aqsa Mosque holds significant importance as the third holiest site in Islam. However, Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city, a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
#AlAqsa
#TarawihPrayers
#IsraeliRestrictions
#PalestinianWorshippers
#Ramadan
#Jerusalem
#OccupiedEastJerusalem
#IslamicHeritage
#GazaStrip
#HamasAttack
#Tensions
#TempleMount
#PeaceInTheMiddleEast
