For the second consecutive Friday, Israeli forces barred Palestinians from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, citing crowd control measures that Palestinians view as part of a deeper strategy to undermine their connection to the sacred site.

Key entrances, including Hutta and al-Silsila Gates, were sealed off shortly before prayer time, leaving only a few hundred worshippers allowed entry under tight surveillance. The Hutta Gate, through which just 450 Palestinians passed, was swiftly closed again, turning away thousands who had travelled from across the territories to pray.

This systematic restriction has sparked calls for mass mobilisation, with activists urging Palestinians to maintain a visible presence at Al-Aqsa as a form of peaceful resistance. Many see these limits as an effort to erode the mosque’s religious and cultural significance by severing it from the community it serves.

Last week, the entire mosque was shut down under the pretext of a "state of emergency" following Israeli strikes on Iran. Although gates briefly reopened midweek, access has remained heavily restricted, tighter than even during the height of the pandemic.

Adding to the tensions, dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the compound on Thursday under police escort, as Israeli forces continued to deny most Palestinians their right to worship at one of Islam’s holiest sites.

For many Palestinians, the siege on Al-Aqsa is not just about prayers, it’s about identity, sovereignty, and the ongoing struggle against occupation.