JERUSALEM, February 18, 2026 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation authorities on Wednesday evening denied fasting worshipers in the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Iftar meals, including meals intended for employees of the Islamic Waqf Department, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.

It said that the occupation forces imposed strict measures on the entry of meals, even targeting Palestinian worshippers arriving with their families to break their fast in the Al-Aqsa courtyards.

Recently, the occupation authorities have issued a large number of orders against Jerusalemites, barring them from the Al-Aqsa Mosque for varying periods. This coincides with intensified military measures at the gates of the Old City and the Damascus Gate (Bab al-Amoud) area to restrict worshipers' access to the mosque.

In a previous statement, the Jerusalem Governorate warned of systematic restrictions the occupation authorities intend to impose on worshipers from West Bank governorates during the month of Ramadan.

These restrictions include allowing access to a maximum of 10,000 worshipers on Fridays and restricting entry to men over 55 and women over 50.

The Governorate described this as a flagrant violation of the freedom of worship guaranteed by international charters and laws, and an attempt to turn an inherent religious right into a privilege subject to security conditions.

It emphasized that these measures are an integral part of a plan to de-Palestinize Jerusalem and isolate it from its Palestinian surroundings. It added that such actions were intended to impose fait accompli on the ground, undermining the existing historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

It stressed that all occupation measures in Jerusalem and against its Islamic and Christian sanctities are null, void, and illegal under international law.

It labeled these actions a "blatant interference in Palestinian affairs" and a direct assault on the authority of the Islamic Waqf Department, which oversees the mosque.

A.D./ K.F.