Jerusalem, Mar 05 (V7N) – Israeli authorities have banned the third Friday prayer of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque amid the ongoing war, according to an announcement by the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday.

The directive was delivered through a video message in which the Israeli military said that all religious sites in the holy city of Jerusalem have been temporarily closed as part of heightened security measures.

This is the first time during this year’s Ramadan that such a restriction has been imposed. During the first two Fridays of the holy month, thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Al-Aqsa compound to perform congregational prayers.

Earlier, Israeli authorities had permitted a maximum of 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank to enter Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan. However, the latest order effectively halts Friday prayers at the mosque for the third week of the holy month.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is considered one of the holiest sites in Islam and holds deep religious and political significance for Muslims worldwide.

Israel captured East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967, a development that remains at the center of the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The latest restrictions come amid escalating regional tensions and ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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