80,000 mark Eid at Al-Aqsa despite Israeli blockades
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Palestinian worshipers faced intensified Israeli measures during Eid al-Adha, with roadblocks, denied entry, and settler provocations marking the holiday at both Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque.
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Muslim worshipers offer Eid al-Adha prayers next to the Dome of the Rock shrine at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in al-Quds, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP)
Despite heavy Israeli restrictions, around 80,000 Palestinian worshipers gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque early Friday morning to perform Eid al-Adha prayers. Worshipers traveled from across occupied Palestine to the compound in occupied al-Quds, facing a heavy Israeli security presence at the entrances to the Old City.
Israeli occupation forces deployed checkpoints, inspected IDs, and blocked access for many attempting to reach the mosque. Still, the massive turnout underscored the religious and national significance of Eid al-Adha at Al-Aqsa.
Eid prayers this morning at Al-Aqsa Mosque 🕌, in Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine 🇵🇸. pic.twitter.com/yspQn2GDtH
— Muhammad Jalal (@MJalalAf) June 6, 2025
Witnesses reported that Israeli forces stationed at multiple Old City gates created bottlenecks and denied entry to scores of Palestinian worshipers, including women and the elderly. Rights groups and religious authorities condemned the measures as part of a broader policy of Israeli restrictions on worship in occupied al-Quds.
Following the conclusion of prayers, a group of Israeli settlers entered through Bab al-Asbat, chanting provocative slogans, an act viewed by Palestinians as deliberate provocation on a sacred day.
Ibrahimi mosque closed to muslims on Eid
In a parallel move in the occupied West Bank, Israeli occupation forces barred Muslim worshipers from accessing the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil on the first day of Eid al-Adha. The closure extended to the mosque’s courtyards, gates, and surrounding facilities, further fueling tensions.
Munjid al-Jabari, Acting Director General of al-Khalil Endowments, told WAFA news agency that Israeli forces also blocked access to the mosque’s eastern gate. According to al-Jabari, this marked the seventh time this year that access had been denied at the Ibrahimi Mosque, particularly during Fridays, Laylat al-Qadr, and both Eid holidays.
Al-Jabari emphasized that the Islamic Waqf refused to accept a partial handover of the mosque. “We have a firm position against accepting an incomplete handover,” he said, stressing that the decision sends “a clear message that any infringement on Muslim rights in their holy sites will never be accepted.”
He urged Palestinians to increase their presence at the mosque during religious occasions to defend its Islamic identity, calling on the international community to intervene and pressure "Israel" to halt its aggressive measures aimed at turning the site into what he described as a “Talmudic synagogue.”
Hajj is marked by the anguish of ongoing Israeli assaults
This year’s Hajj also took place against the backdrop of escalating bloodshed across the region, with "Israel’s" genocide on Gaza entering its 21st month. The relentless bombardment, mass displacement, and starvation tactics used against Palestinians have drawn global condemnation of "Israel".
No description required pic.twitter.com/J4ZgcTrI3e
— Masjid al Aqsa (@firstqiblah) June 6, 2025
For pilgrims in Mecca, the annual journey of faith and renewal is overshadowed by profound sorrow, as the plight of Gazans weighs heavily on the collective conscience of the Muslim world.
Meanwhile, Israeli aggressions have widened to include near-daily strikes on Lebanon and airstrikes on Yemen.
Despite the grief, displacement, and relentless aggression endured by millions across Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, Muslims around the world, and especially in Palestine, chose defiance through faith.
According to the Palestinian Information Center, Israeli occupation forces and settlers killed 18 Palestinians in the West Bank during May alone. Additionally, 167 Palestinians were wounded by live ammunition or physical assaults carried out by settlers and soldiers.
The center also documented 557 detentions of Palestinians by Israeli forces during 1,160 raids conducted across the occupied West Bank throughout May. At least one Palestinian was also subjected to forced displacement during this period.
These figures underline the growing violence and repression Palestinians continue to face under occupation, amid a surge in settler attacks and Israeli aggressions.
Read more: 'Israel' defies law, approves 22 illegal West Bank settlements
