Saturday 21 February 2026 - 13:05
80,000 Palestinians perform first Friday prayer of Ramadan at Aqsa amid Israeli restrictions

Approximately 80,000 Palestinians performed the first Friday prayer in Ramadan at the Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, despite strict Israeli measures aimed at limiting access, particularly for worshippers from the West Bank.

Hawzah News Agency- Dozens of Palestinians were prevented from reaching Occupied Jerusalem, while journalists and medical teams faced restrictions at Qalandia checkpoint.

Israeli authorities also prevented young men from entering the Mosque through Bab al-Silsila shortly before evening prayers and imposed strict controls on bringing in food, even for families arriving to break their fast with meals they had brought with them.

Palestinian and Jerusalem-based groups have called for increased mobilization and for people to travel to Aqsa Mosque in greater numbers during Ramadan, urging a stronger presence at the site to counter escalating Israeli measures aimed at emptying the Mosque of its worshippers and isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings.

Source: The Palestinian Information Center

Tags

Your Comment

You are replying to: .
captcha