Thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque Friday, amid strict measures imposed by the occupation forces at the entrances and gates of Al-Aqsa and the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Islamic Endowments Department in occupied Jerusalem said that some 80,000 worshippers performed the prayer on the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque. It noted that despite the restrictions, thousands flocked from various regions, especially from the 1948 territories and occupied Jerusalem, to pray at the mosque.
The occupation forces only allowed a small number of worshippers from the West Bank governorates to enter occupied Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the mosque's courtyards witnessed a heavy presence of Israeli occupation forces and police, who tightened their security measures at the mosque's gates and prevented large numbers of young men from entering in an attempt to limit the number of worshippers.
The occupation forces checked the IDs of young men at the entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem and the gates of the mosque, denying a number of them access to the mosque.
The occupation forces reinforced their presence at the Qalandia military checkpoint north of occupied Jerusalem and at Checkpoint 300, which separates the cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. They prevented men under the age of 55 and women under the age of 50 who obtained "special permits" from entering Jerusalem.
Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported that the occupation forces also prevented citizens from the Jenin and Tulkarm governorates from passing through, despite their influx since this morning through the two checkpoints in an attempt to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque.
