JERUSALEM, March 11, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday evening prevented a group of young Palestinians from performing the Isha and Taraweeh Ramadan prayers near Bab al-Sahira (Herod’s Gate) in the Old City of Jerusalem, forcing them to leave the area.

The Jerusalem Governorate reported that youths were engaged in prayer near Herod’s Gate when they were surrounded by Israeli forces, who prevented them from completing their prayers and forcibly removed them. This incident occurs against the backdrop of the ongoing closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in place since February 28 under the pretext of a “state of emergency” linked to the escalating Iran–US–Israel conflict in the region.

The governorate noted that Jerusalemites insist on being present near the mosque’s gates and throughout the Old City to affirm their right to pray and to demand the reopening of Al-Aqsa Mosque. This marked the second consecutive day that worshippers gathered near Bab al-Sahira despite being dispersed by Israeli forces on Tuesday.

The governorate emphasized that the Israeli closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the prevention of prayers and i’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan is unprecedented since the 1967 occupation of Jerusalem. I’tikaf is a spiritual retreat inside the mosque, where worshippers dedicate themselves to prayer, Quran recitation, and reflection, especially during Ramadan’s final nights.

The Jerusalem Governorate emphasized that Israel holds no authority to open or close the mosque, reaffirming that the legitimate right to oversee its affairs rests exclusively with the Islamic Waqf.

T.R.