Israeli authorities continue to bar Palestinians from praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem for the third Friday of Ramadan.
Anadolu Agency quoting witnesses reported that Israeli forces established checkpoints and barred Palestinians from West Bank and Jerusalem to enter the holy mosque.
Before the start of Ramadan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said “Israel will impose some restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for security needs.”
The Al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest site in the world for Muslims, sits atop a hill in the Old City. The site is also revered by Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.
Israel often sets rules to limit the number of worshippers at the site, citing security reasons.
Israeli forces have previously undertaken violent raids at the site during Ramadan.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas led attacks on Israel, killed at least 1,139 people. It also took about 250 other people captive.
Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza has killed more than 32,623 Palestinians and injured 75,092 people.
It has also reduced much of Gaza to rubble and displaced more than 80 per cent of its population.
As per Jewish rituals, the ashes of a red heifer cow are needed for the ritual purification required to build a Third Temple in Jerusalem.
Radical Jewish groups proclaim that this temple must be built on the raised plateau in Jerusalem’s Old City where the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock shrine stand today. Some believe this will herald the arrival of the ‘Messiah.’