Friday Noon Prayer- 500 worshippers in Al-Aqsa and suppressing prayers in the streets of Jerusalem
The occupation authorities closed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and denied entry of worshippers to perform Friday prayers under the pretext of "decisions and instructions of the Ministry of Health to limit the spread of the Corona virus," and the occupation authorities suppressed the prayers that were held outside Al-Aqsa for those who were not allowed to enter.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center stated that the occupation authorities closed the gates of Al-Aqsa, and kept "Hutta, Al-Majles and Al-Silsileh gates" open for the entry of worshipers in the early morning hours. Before the Noon prayers, the forces prevented entry to Al-Aqsa via the open gates, and the Islamic Endowments Department estimated the number of worshipers who performed the prayers in Al-Aqsa to be 500 only.
The information center added that the occupation forces chased the worshippers that held prayers at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, and assaulted the worshipers and prevented them from gathering to pray, despite attempts to pray away from each other.
The center added that the forces fired sound grenades and beat and pushed the worshipers, and the cavalry teams dispersed them and moved them away from the area of Wadi Al-Joz in the city.
The center also explained that the occupation authorities suppressed and prevented prayers in several areas: Ras Al-Amoud, Lions Gate, Wadi Al-Joz, Al-Musrara and Dung Gate, in addition to prayers on the thresholds of Al-Aqsa, especially at Al-Silsileh and Hutta gates.
The center added that the occupation forces severely beat and arrested Yousef Shawish, and assaulted and pushed his brotherwhile they were in the area of Bab Hutta.
The occupation authorities also prevented entry to the Old City before noon, and put iron barriers on all its gates, and allowed only those who are residents of the area to enter. These measures continued until the end of the Friday Noon prayers.
