Amman, Mar. 20 (Petra)– Thousands of Palestinian worshipers performed Eid al-Fitr prayer on Friday morning in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif in occupied Jerusalem, after Israeli occupation forces prevented them from reaching to the Mosque compound, which has remained closed for the 21st consecutive day.

Prayers inside the mosque were limited to a small number of guards and staff from the Islamic Awqaf Department in Jerusalem.

According to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), citing the Jerusalem Governorate, worshipers gathered at the closest points they could reach, where Eid chants echoed despite heightened Israeli restrictions.

The situation coincided with repeated confrontations, as Israeli forces fired sound bombs and tear gas at worshipers, preventing them from advancing toward Al-Aqsa.

Occupation forces also deployed heavily across Jerusalem’s Old City, setting up metal barriers at entrances to block access to the mosque.

The Jerusalem Governorate stated that, despite the crackdown, worshipers insisted on holding Eid prayer in the streets a scene reflecting their determination to exercise their right to worship at Al-Aqsa.

//Petra// MF
20/03/2026 15:16:59