Hundreds of thousands pray at al-Aqsa on second Friday of Ramadan

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

Around 200,000 people attended the Friday prayers amid very tight military restrictions throughout the occupied city.

During the Friday prayers sermon, Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher Sheikh Youssef Abu Sneineh stressed the urgent need to lift the siege on the people of Gaza.
“Gaza’s patience has run out,” he said.

He strongly denounced the Arab and Islamic countries’ continued silence over the Israeli escalated Judaization policy in occupied Jerusalem and settlers’ provocative break-ins into al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection.

He also called for activating Palestinian national unity, hailing in the same time the Jerusalemites’ strong steadfastness in face of Israeli brutal measures.

Masses of worshippers made their way to the holy city from the occupied Palestinian territories despite the many restrictions imposed by Israeli police and forces, especially on the entry of young men below the age of 40, many of whom were banned from entering the occupied city by the Israeli forces.

Worshippers had to pass into occupied Jerusalem via military checkpoints as Israeli police beefed up presence around and in the city amid heightened tensions.