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.