JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Approximately 100,000 Palestinians offered weekly Friday prayers in congregation at Al-Aqsa Mosque in 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 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 Jerusalem for prayers and imposed strict restrictions at military checkpoints around the city.

Israeli police said they deployed thousands of officers across East Jerusalem.

The Israeli army also sent large reinforcements to West Bank checkpoints leading to Jerusalem to further restrict access to the mosque.

Since early Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Qalandia military checkpoint north of 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, based on security recommendations.

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 West Bank to Al-Aqsa, filling the mosque compound and boosting commercial activity in Jerusalem’s markets.

Since the Gaza war began on Oct. 8, 2023, and continued for two years, Israeli authorities have imposed tight movement restrictions at military checkpoints leading to 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.

Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while Israel considers the city, including both its eastern and western sectors, as its capital.

*Writing by Lina Altawell