Thousands Gather for Al-Quds Day Prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Jerusalem - Thousands of Muslim worshippers gathered outside the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem to perform prayers and show solidarity on al-Quds Day, an annual event supporting the Palestinian cause. The holy site was closed by Israeli authorities, prompting the faithful to congregate in the surrounding streets and courtyards to observe the occasion.

Al-Quds Day is an annual event held on the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, established by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini to express support for the Palestinians and call for the liberation of Jerusalem, which is known as al-Quds in Arabic. The closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a site sacred to Muslims, was met with disappointment and frustration by the worshippers who had traveled to the city to participate in the commemorations.

Despite the restrictions, the crowds of men, women, and children carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in support of the Palestinian cause. Many performed their prayers on prayer rugs laid out on the streets, determined to observe the day in defiance of the ban.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which includes the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall, is one of the most sensitive religious and political flashpoints in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the third-holiest site in Islam and also holds deep significance for Judaism, as it is believed to be the location of the ancient Jewish Temples.

Tensions have been high in the region, with frequent clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters. The closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on al-Quds Day was seen by many as a further provocation and a denial of the religious rights of the Palestinian population.

Despite the restrictions, the worshippers remained steadfast in their determination to observe the occasion and express their solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The images of the crowd praying outside the holy site have become a powerful symbol of the ongoing struggle for control and access to the contested holy sites in Jerusalem.