Palestinians offer Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in shadow of Israeli guns, sombre atmosphere

Approximately 80,000 Palestinians gathered at Islam's third-holiest mosque, entering and exiting while chanting the traditional Eid Takbirat.

06 Jun 2025 07:00pm
Muslim worshippers attend the sermon during the early morning prayers for Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, in the make-shift prayer room of the Nour mosque in the Abu Amin neighbourhood in northeastern Gaza City on June 6, 2025. - (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Muslim worshippers attend the sermon during the early morning prayers for Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, in the make-shift prayer room of the Nour mosque in the Abu Amin neighbourhood in northeastern Gaza City on June 6, 2025. - (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)

JERUSALEM - Tens of thousands of Palestinians offered Eid al-Adha prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Friday morning, despite tight Israeli restrictions and a sombre atmosphere driven by the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

According to local estimates, approximately 80,000 Palestinians gathered at Islam's third-holiest mosque, entering and exiting while chanting the traditional Eid Takbirat.

Israeli police forces were heavily deployed in and around the Al-Aqsa compound and the Old City before, during, and after the prayers.

Palestinians visit the graves of their loved ones on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on June 6, 2025. - (Photo by EYAD BABA / AFP)
Palestinians visit the graves of their loved ones on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on June 6, 2025. - (Photo by EYAD BABA / AFP)

However, many Palestinians from the occupied West Bank were unable to attend the Eid prayers in Jerusalem due to Israeli restrictions on movement.

Many Palestinians barred from entering the mosque by Israeli orders were spotted praying outside its gates.

However, the usual festive spirit of Eid was notably absent. The mood in Jerusalem was subdued as the city grappled with the impact of Israel’s ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip. - BERNAMA

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