Israel blocks thousands of Palestinians from performing Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Israeli forces prevented thousands of Palestinians from performing Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, tightening their week-long shutdown on the religious site amid hostilities with Iran.
Israeli soldiers were stationed around the outer gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem early on Friday, where they stopped thousands of Palestinians from entering, sources told Middle East Eye.
They said that less than 500 people managed to make it through to the prayer areas and courtyard within Al-Aqsa, a fraction of the number that usually attend the holy site.
Despite heavy restrictions on their daily lives, tens of thousands of Palestinians normally attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa each week.
But since 13 July, the mosque has been completely closed off, in the largest shutdown since the Covid-19 pandemic.