Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque Empties Amid Ramadan Restrictions

Jerusalem - Drone video footage has captured the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem completely empty on the third Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as Israeli authorities have placed severe restrictions on access to the holy site.

The images, obtained exclusively by international news outlets, show the usually crowded and bustling sacred complex devoid of the thousands of worshippers that would typically fill its courtyards and plazas for weekly Friday prayers. Israel has imposed a series of measures limiting the number of Palestinians allowed to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, citing security concerns.

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According to officials, only men over the age of 50 and women over the age of 45 who hold Israeli-issued Jerusalem ID cards are currently permitted to enter the holy site. Younger Palestinians, including those with Jerusalem residency, have been largely barred from accessing the mosque.

The restrictions come amid heightened tensions in the region, with a spate of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis in recent weeks. Israeli authorities have justified the measures as necessary to maintain public order and security, though Palestinian leaders have condemned the move as a violation of their rights to freely access their places of worship.

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