Al-Aqsa Mosque reopens and worshippers flock to it
Life returned to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday evening, after 13 days of closure and siege imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities, as part of what they called a "state of emergency" during the war between Iran and Israel.
At 8:00 PM, worshippers began arriving at the mosque through the gates opened by the occupation police (Hutta, al-Silsileh, and al-Majles).
The reopening of Al-Aqsa came after the Israeli Home Front Command announced the lifting of all security restrictions imposed on various areas and the transition to what it described as "full activities without restrictions," including the opening of schools, workplaces, and public gatherings, starting this evening until Thursday evening, June 26, following the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem explained that the occupation authorities had completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque on the 13th of this month, allowing only Endowment employees to enter. Six days later, they reopened it partially and on a limited basis, opening the Hutta and Al-Silsileh gates, imposing restrictions on the number of worshippers not exceeding 500, and restricting prayer areas to the prayer halls. On the morning of the 22nd of this month (last Sunday), they closed it again.
For 13 days, the occupation authorities have imposed a tight siege on the Old City of Jerusalem, setting up military checkpoints at its entrances, deploying forces on the roads and in the markets, and preventing the opening of shops except for those selling vital supplies.
Under the "state of emergency," violations have not ceased; rather, attacks against the city and its residents have escalated. Dozens of arrests have been carried out, and forces have raided Jerusalem neighborhoods and towns on a daily basis. Two serious injuries from explosive bullets have been recorded, while demolitions of Palestinian homes and facilities have continued.
