Prayers for Gaza: Palestinians mark sombre Eid at Al-Aqsa Mosque | Faith Information

Greater than 60,000 Palestinians supplied Eid al-Fitr prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, however the environment was subdued and never festive as folks mourned the victims of Israel’s greater than six-month warfare on the Gaza Strip.

Giant contingents of Israeli law enforcement officials had been deployed on the entrances, surrounding areas and alleys of the town. As a result of police barred some folks from getting into the compound, they prayed as an alternative on the mosque’s outer gates.

Whereas few folks from the occupied West Financial institution had been permitted to enter, the Islamic Endowments Division in Jerusalem stated in an announcement that greater than 60,000 devoted supplied prayers to mark the top of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Israel has restricted Palestinians’ entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque amid rising tensions throughout the occupied West Financial institution because of the Israeli military’s ongoing offensive on Gaza.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest website in Islam, which has stood on a hill within the Previous Metropolis of Jerusalem for greater than 1,300 years. Jews discuss with the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound because the Temple Mount and consider it’s the place the primary and second historical Jewish temples as soon as stood.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the place Al-Aqsa is situated, throughout the 1967 Arab-Israeli Struggle. It annexed your entire metropolis in 1980 in a transfer that isn’t recognised by the worldwide group.