Jerusalem: The Islamic Waqf Department in occupied Jerusalem reported that 80,000 worshippers gathered for the first Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Israeli occupation forces enforced stringent restrictions on Palestinians traveling from the West Bank to Jerusalem for prayers at Al-Aqsa. The measures included increased military checkpoints and age limits for worshippers. Many individuals were detained, subjected to searches, and had their identities checked.
The Jerusalem Governorate released a statement indicating that occupation forces turned away thousands of Palestinians at the Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem. The authorities claimed that the quota of 10,000 permitted worshippers had been reached. The statement also highlighted that Israeli forces assaulted several journalists at the checkpoint, obstructed their work, and prevented them from filming or approaching the area.
The statement further noted that Palestinian scout teams were prohibited from operating within the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli authorities had previously announced restrictions for Ramadan prayers, which included barring men under 55 and women under 50 from entering Jerusalem for prayers.