During the holy month of Ramadan, the number of worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, significantly increases as Muslims gather to pray and seek blessings.
However, this year, Israel has introduced new restrictions limiting Palestinian access to the mosque. Under these new measures, Palestinians who were recently released as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas will not be allowed to enter Al-Aqsa.
According to a report by Turkish news agency Anadolu on Monday (February 24), Israel has decided that only men aged 55 and above and women aged 50 and above will be permitted to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque. Young Palestinians recently freed under the ceasefire deal will not be granted access.
This restriction on young Palestinians has been in place for a long time, with Israel frequently preventing them from entering the holy site. Despite this, many young Palestinians continue to attempt to pray at Al-Aqsa.
The situation is becoming more complex as Israel plans to set up checkpoints at entry points to Al-Aqsa Mosque and East Jerusalem during Ramadan. Nearly 3,000 Israeli police officers will be deployed daily to regulate access to the mosque.
Additionally, Israeli authorities are considering granting access to only 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank, a significantly limited number.
It is important to note that while Muslims refer to the site as “Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Jewish people identify it as “Temple Mount,” claiming it as the location of their ancient place of worship. This longstanding religious and political conflict continues to fuel tensions over the site.
Meanwhile, Israel has yet to release Palestinian prisoners as required under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. On February 24, Israel added a new condition, stating that if Hamas returns the bodies of four Israeli hostages without any formal process, Israel will release 602 Palestinian prisoners. However, no response has been received from Hamas or the mediating countries regarding this condition.
Israeli media reported that the new conditions have been communicated to the mediating countries, but no official reaction has been recorded yet.
This situation poses a significant challenge for Palestinians, raising fresh debates about Israel’s stance on religious freedom and fundamental rights.