Tens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers performed prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of Ramadan

Tens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers attended the mass Friday prayer held at holy al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan.

The prayer was held amid heightened security measures by Israeli forces imposed since early Friday.

Israeli occupation police forces restricted worshippers’ access through military checkpoints surrounding Jerusalem. Metal barricades were also installed around the Old City and at the gates of the Mosque’s compound.

Israeli police officers were deployed along the Friday Market Road and obstructed the movement of residents heading toward Al-Aqsa. Young men were stopped and checked near Bab al-Sahira as they made their way to the Mosque.

During the prayer, armed Israeli settlers entered the al-Ghazali Square area near Bab al-Asbat , adjacent to the compound.

The prayer was held amid an escalation in raids carried out by Israeli troops and settlers against the Islamic holy site.