OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed the second Friday prayer of Ramadan at the Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, amid strict restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on access to the site.
Jerusalem-based sources estimated that around 100,000 worshippers attended the prayer at the holy Mosque.
Thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank headed at dawn towards the Qalandiya checkpoint and Checkpoint 300, hoping to reach the Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli forces closed the gates of the Qalandiya checkpoint after imposing restrictions on entry to Occupied Jerusalem during the second Friday of Ramadan.
Large numbers of worshippers were denied access on the grounds of lacking permits, despite Israeli authorities announcing that approximately 10,000 West Bank residents would be allowed entry each Friday.
Israeli authorities also set age restrictions, allowing entry only for men over 55 and women over 50, while requiring a one-time permit to pray at the Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.
In practice, authorities often fail to meet the announced quotas, frequently preventing hundreds from accessing the site without clear justification.
The measures appear to form part of a broader system aimed at closely monitoring the movement of worshippers, from their departure from home areas to their arrival at military checkpoints surrounding Occupied Jerusalem.
