Israeli forces on Friday prohibited Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, West Bank, according to local authorities. The mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, has remained closed for 21 consecutive days amid ongoing US and Israeli military actions against Iran.
Hundreds of worshippers held prayers along roadsides near the compound, particularly at Bab al-Amud (Damascus Gate) and Bab al-Sahira (Herod’s Gate), defying the ban. Videos circulating online showed Israeli security forces deploying teargas and concussion devices to prevent access, with reports of at least one worshipper being detained.
The Jerusalem Governorate condemned the continued closure as an unprecedented escalation and a violation of religious freedom, warning that the measures appear aimed at imposing a new reality and isolating the mosque from its Palestinian surroundings.
