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2mo ago

90,000 Palestinians Attend First Friday Prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Tight security and age restrictions mark the first Friday of Ramadan in Jerusalem during a fragile Gaza ceasefire.

Muslim worshippers attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan, in Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, March 7, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Palestinians sit at a large table surrounded by the rubble of destroyed homes and buildings as they gather for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, during Ramadan in Gaza City, Thursday March 6, 2025 (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Muslim worshippers attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan, in Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, March 7, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israeli Border Police officers stand guard as Muslim worshippers make their way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the Old City of Jerusalem, Friday, March 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Overview

  • Approximately 90,000 Palestinians gathered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan, with Israeli authorities enforcing strict security and age-based entry restrictions.
  • Men over 55, women over 50, and children under 12 from the West Bank were permitted entry, while others faced delays or were turned back at checkpoints, sparking frustration among worshippers.
  • The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered in January, remains tenuous, with ongoing disputes over the release of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
  • In Gaza, thousands prayed in the remains of heavily damaged mosques, while residents observed Ramadan rituals amidst rubble and limited resources due to an Israeli blockade on essential supplies.
  • Israeli forces continue military operations in the West Bank, targeting militant strongholds, which has heightened tensions and displaced thousands of residents in refugee camps.