Israel limits Al-Aqsa entry for West Bank Palestinians to 10,000 as Ramazan begins

Israel has imposed restrictions on Palestinian worshippers travelling from the occupied West Bank to attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, capping attendance at 10,000 as Ramazan begins.

According to a statement by COGAT, only Palestinians holding prior special permits will be allowed entry. The statement said that the minimum age for men has been set at 55 and for women at 50, while children up to 12 may attend if accompanied by a close relative.

The measures apply exclusively to Palestinians from the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 war. Israeli authorities said that all permits would be subject to security clearance, with digital registration required upon return.

Separately, Israeli police arrested Sheikh Mohammad al-Abbasi, an imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, from within the mosque compound. Palestinian media reported that no clear reason was given for the arrest.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned both the arrest and the restrictions on worshippers, describing them as interference in the mosque’s affairs.

During Ramazan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians gather at Al-Aqsa for prayers. However, attendance has dropped sharply since the Gaza war in 2023 amid heightened security measures.