Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas called on Palestinian people across al-Quds, the West Bank, and the '48 occupied territories to urgently defend al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan.

The Resistance movement urged active participation in breaking the Israeli siege imposed on Al-Aqsa, insisting that Palestinians must be able to pray and gather within its courtyards.

In its statement, Hamas said, "Gaza, which brought forth the glorious Al-Aqsa Flood, is still fighting the greatest of battles against the enemy after 160 days," urging "our people to actively partake in breaking the occupation's siege on Al-Aqsa, pray in it, defend it, and spend the nights there in worship."

Hamas also emphasized its insistence that the people of occupied Palestine perform their prayers exclusively at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Despite Israeli attempts to prevent #Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa mosque and performing their Friday prayer rituals, Palestinians still entered the mosque.

"Israel" has a long history of attacking, harassing, and detaining Palestinians entering #AlAqsa mosque to pray,… pic.twitter.com/o9YsOUO8DL

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 8, 2024

This comes after the Israeli occupation forces began Ramadan by imposing restrictions since Sunday evening, allowing only women and men over 40 to enter the mosque and obstructing the passage of everyone through checkpoints.

Israeli forces erect steel barricades in al-Aqsa

The Israeli occupation government has issued an order to erect steel barricades on the gates leading to al-Aqsa Mosque compound, including the King Faysal, al-Ghawanmah, and al-Hadid, marking an unprecedented move.

Quds News Network had already reported that the Israeli occupation forces had begun erecting steel barriers at the entrances of al-Aqsa Mosque; a move that could lead to further escalations.

BREAKING| Israeli forces start installing steel barricades on the entrances to Al Aqsa mosque in occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/wv7WJ1V8h9

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 14, 2024

Commenting on the order, the Imam of al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Akrama Sabri, rejected the move "comprehensively and in detail," emphasizing the unilateral nature of the order.

Sabri affirmed that the erection of barriers and steel cages indicates "Israeli ambitions to impose hegemony and sovereignty over the mosque," pointing out that "all occupation measures therein contradict freedom of worship" as "age restrictions are not permissible, nor is limiting the number [of worshipers] in al-Aqsa."

The Mosque's Imam urged all to "respond to the call of the Messenger of Allah, (Prophet) Muhammad, by hastening to Al-Aqsa the blessed."

'Israel' to allow access to al-Aqsa in Ramadan 'as in previous years'

Fearing a ticking bomb in the occupied West Bank and yielding to calls from the US administration, Israeli occupation authorities announced, on March 6, just days before Ramadan started, that they would allow as many worshipers to access the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds during the first week of the holy month of Ramadan as in previous years.

"Every week there will be a situation assessment in terms of security and safety and a decision will be made accordingly," Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

Despite Israeli police and several ministers warning that the measure would incite an explosion in the situation, Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had said that Palestinian residents of the West Bank "should not be allowed" entry to al-Quds to pray during Ramadan.