Ramadan's First Friday Prayers Are Held At Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque

TEL AVIV, Israel — Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered nether dense Israeli restrictions astatine Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque compound for nan first Friday prayers of nan Muslim beatified period of Ramadan, including immoderate who were allowed to participate from nan occupied West Bank.

The Ramadan prayers astatine Al Aqsa took spot for nan first clip since a shaky ceasefire woody betwixt Israel and Hamas went into effect successful October. It was nan first opportunity galore had to time off nan West Bank and believe astatine nan tract successful Jerusalem’s Old City since Ramadan past year.

Israel restricted nan number of Palestinians allowed to participate from nan West Bank to 10,000 connected Friday, and only allowed men complete 55 and women complete 50 arsenic good arsenic children up to 12. It has imposed akin restrictions successful nan past, citing information concerns.

A predominant flashpoint

The hilltop, which Jews mention to arsenic nan Temple Mount, is nan holiest tract successful Judaism and was location to nan ancient biblical temples. Muslims telephone nan tract nan Noble Sanctuary. Today it is location to Al-Aqsa Mosque, nan third-holiest tract successful Islam.

It has often been a flashpoint successful nan Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli constabulary said much than 3,000 constabulary were deployed crossed Jerusalem. They said their beingness was not meant to show aggression aliases unit but was aimed astatine providing thief successful lawsuit of an emergency.

Many Palestinians position nan heightened Israeli information presence, and expanding visits by belief and nationalist Israeli Jews, arsenic a provocation. They fearfulness that Israel intends to return complete aliases partition nan compound. The Israeli authorities denies having immoderate specified plans.

Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, nan Jordanian belief authority that administers nan compound, said location were 80,000 successful attendance. In normal times, Ramadan Friday prayers astatine Al-Aqsa tin tie up to 200,000.

Ezaldeen Mustafah, a Palestinian from nan West Bank, was among those lamenting nan restrictions.

“We request much group than this,” he said.

Some Palestinians from nan West Bank connected Friday said they were turned distant from crossing into Jerusalem moreover though they had permits. Jihad Bisharat said he was told his licence had been canceled and was sent back. Israel’s service didn’t instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The Old City, location to awesome belief sites ineffable to Jews, Christians and Muslims, is successful eastbound Jerusalem, which Israel captured successful nan 1967 Mideast war, on pinch nan West Bank and nan Gaza Strip. The Palestinians want each 3 territories for a early authorities pinch its superior successful eastbound Jerusalem. Israel annexed eastbound Jerusalem, a move not recognized by astir of nan world community, and considers nan full metropolis to beryllium its capital.

Ramadan successful Gaza

Many Palestinians said nan month’s typically festive tone is eluding them arsenic they struggle pinch condolences and losses pursuing 2 years of conflict successful Gaza sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught into Israel.

“All nan mosques person been bombed,” said Ramiz Firwana, a Gaza resident who gathered pinch different worshippers for a Friday sermon and prayers held successful schoolyard.

On Thursday evening, families sat amid nan rubble and demolition for iftar, nan repast held astatine nan extremity of nan regular dawn-to-dusk fast.

“Despite nan displacement, nan symptom and nan destruction, we want to rejoice and live,” said Mohammad Kollab, from Khan Younis. “We are not a group destined only for demolition and killing.”

Israel’s subject violative has killed much than 72,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and caused wide demolition and displaced astir of nan territory’s residents. Israel launched nan violative aft Hamas-led militants killed immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took different 251 hostage successful nan first attack.

The Oct. 10 U.S.-brokered ceasefire woody has brought an extremity to awesome subject operations and nan merchandise of nan remaining hostages. But Palestinians, including galore civilians, are still being killed successful near-daily strikes that Israel says are aimed astatine militants who frighten aliases onslaught its forces.

Mednick writes for nan Associated Press. AP reporters Sam Metz successful Ramallah, West Bank, and Wafaa Shurafa successful Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.