Al-Aqsa Mosque Reopens to Thousands After 40-Day Israeli Closure
JERUSALEM — For the first time in 40 days, the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem swung open to Palestinian worshippers at dawn on Thursday. Verified footage showed streams of faithful entering the holy site, with estimates placing the number of attendees for the morning prayers at around 3,000.
The reopening follows a stringent closure imposed by Israeli authorities across major religious sites in Jerusalem—affecting Christian, Jewish, and Muslim worshippers alike—in the wake of heightened regional hostilities that escalated in late February. Such restrictions, particularly targeting Palestinian access, have been a recurrent feature of the tense landscape in the city.
The Islamic Waqf Department, the Jordanian-affiliated body administering the site, confirmed the reopening from dawn onward. Preparations were visible in earlier videos, which showed volunteers and caretakers cleaning courtyards and prayer halls in anticipation.
Israeli police announced the decision to reopen both the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday evening, citing "updated instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command." The statement emphasized a significant security deployment, with hundreds of officers and border guards positioned in the Old City's alleyways and access roads to, in their words, "secure visitors."
The past six weeks of regional conflict have seen Jerusalem's sacred sites under strict security measures and frequent closures, severely dampening observances of Lent, Passover, and Ramadan. Notably, this year marked the first time since 1967 that Eid al-Fitr prayers were barred at Al-Aqsa.
The lifting of bans arrives just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter this Sunday, a week after Western Christian denominations.
However, the reopening unfolds against a backdrop of continued violence in the occupied territories. Overnight, Israeli forces conducted raids across the West Bank. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported a raid in Nablus where a woman was detained and a man assaulted. Separately, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah stated that Israeli forces shot and killed 28-year-old Alaa Khaled Mohammed Sbeih near the village of Tayasir on Wednesday night. The Israeli military claimed an off-duty soldier fired at an individual throwing stones.
Further raids were reported in the villages of Tayasir, Ya'bad, Qusra, and Awarta, resulting in several detentions and property damage, according to Wafa.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that since 2023, over 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, with at least 10,000 forcibly displaced.
Voices from the Readers
David Chen, Policy Analyst in Tel Aviv: "The calibrated reopening is a necessary step to de-escalate local tensions, but it's a temporary measure. Long-term stability requires a political solution that guarantees access for all faiths without compromising security."
Amira Hassan, Teacher in Ramallah: "To pray at Al-Aqsa is a basic right, not a privilege granted by an occupier. This 40-day ban, especially during Ramadan, was a collective punishment. The joy today is bittersweet, overshadowed by the ongoing raids and killings just miles away."
Markus Schiff, Commentator from Berlin: "The timing is politically convenient. By reopening for Orthodox Easter, Israel seeks to mitigate international criticism. Yet, the systemic restrictions and the staggering death toll in the West Bank, per OCHA's data, reveal a stark contrast between symbolic gestures and the grim reality of occupation."
Sarah Cohen, Student in Jerusalem: "Finally! It's been so tense. Seeing people pray peacefully again gives me hope. Maybe this small opening can lead to more calm. We all just want to live and worship in peace."