Amman, Jan. 16 (Petra)-- Despite increased Israeli occupation military restrictions in the Old City, the streets of occupied Jerusalem, and the vicinity of the mosque, tens of thousands of worshipers performed Friday prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli forces blocked worshipers' access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Damascus and Lions' Gates, checking their identification, detaining a number of young men and preventing them from entering the mosque, arresting others, and issuing some notices prohibiting them from entering the mosque for varying, renewable periods, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Worshipers are still subject to severe limitations from Israeli forces when they access the Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays.

Thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank are prevented by Israeli authorities from traveling to Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa; instead, they must seek special permissions in order to pass through the military checkpoints that encircle the holy city.

//Petra// MF

16/01/2026 23:53:54