Restrictions at Al-Aqsa Mosque Continue for Seventh Consecutive Day
The Jerusalem Governorate has reported that Israeli authorities have maintained strict limitations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the seventh day in a row.
According to a statement from the official Palestinian news agency, the governorate indicated that Israeli authorities began implementing a “limited worshippers” policy on Wednesday, resulting in the complete closure of Al-Aqsa’s doors to worshippers. Officials regard this as the most alarming occurrence since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Israeli army permitted only 450 worshippers to enter through the Hatta Gate to perform the noon prayer yesterday. The gate was subsequently shut to prevent further entry or exit, although staff from the religious endowments were allowed entry through the Chain and Hatta Gates under strict surveillance.
Conversely, Israeli forces opened the Mughrabi Gate to settlers, allowing 133 settlers to enter the mosque during the morning hours, alongside one individual who entered under the guise of “tourism,” all under heavy security protection.
The Jerusalem Governorate expressed that these actions represent a serious escalation aimed at establishing a new reality that could alter the historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, leveraging the conditions created by regional conflict to push forward their agenda.
The governorate further noted that the restrictions on the number of worshippers have led to a near-complete paralysis of life within the Old City. Access was denied to those without local identification while Jewish synagogues and markets remained operational as usual.
The Jerusalem Governorate strongly condemned what it described as “unprecedented encroachments on Palestinians’ religious and human rights.” It emphasized that the “limited worshippers” policy constitutes a dangerous precedent that threatens freedom of worship. It appealed to the international community and concerned parties to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to halt these violations, urging global actors to ensure Israel respects the historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to lift all restrictions imposed on the Old City and its residents.
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Endowments Administration and the Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs confirmed that Israeli authorities continued to enforce strict limitations at the mosque for the seventh consecutive day.
The administration underscored that the policy of closure and control over the number of worshippers has caused significant disruptions within the Old City, restricting entry for those lacking local identification while allowing Jewish synagogues and markets to stay open.