Israel imposes restrictions on Al-Aqsa Mosque worshippers

The Israeli police imposed strict restrictions on the entry of worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers, Anadolu Agency reports.

An official in the Islamic Waqf (Endowments) Department in Jerusalem told Anadolu that only 15,000 people were able to perform Friday prayers in the Mosque compared to over 50,000 on a regular Friday prayer.

The official, who preferred not to disclose his name, added: “The prayer halls and courtyards of the Mosque were almost empty of worshippers due to Israeli restrictions.”

The Israeli police have been imposing restrictions on the entry of worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque since the start of the Gaza conflict on 7 October, but they tighten restrictions on Fridays.

Witnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli police only allowed elderly people to enter the Mosque to perform prayers.

They added that the police attacked worshippers at the Asbat Gate and the Sahira Gate after preventing them from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli police were deployed throughout East Jerusalem, setting up barriers at the entrances to the Old City and at the external gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli measures forced hundreds of worshippers to perform prayers in the streets.

Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli police attacked worshippers in the Wadi Al-Joz neighborhood, near the Old City, with wastewater.

Palestinians performed prayers in one of the neighbourhood’s streets after being prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers.

This marks the 13th consecutive Friday when the Israeli police targeted worshippers in the Wadi Al-Joz neighbourhood.

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