Al-Aqsa Mosque Closed: Hundreds of Muslim worshippers showed up at Jerusalem’s Old City gates on Friday, hoping to celebrate Eid prayers. But with Israel at war with Iran, authorities shut down access to Al-Aqsa mosque and other sacred sites.
Al-Aqsa Mosque Closed During Ramzan
Wajdi Mohammed Shweiki, a Palestinian in his sixties, shared how heavy this moment felt. He said, “Today, Al-Aqsa has been taken from us. It’s a sad and painful Ramzan.” For him, the situation is tragic not just for people in Jerusalem, but for Palestinians and Muslims everywhere.
Since February 28, when Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran, the government cited security concerns and closed famous religious sites in Jerusalem. Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, all out of reach.
Israel fired tear gases at Palestinias during Eid prayers in Jerusalem
For the first time ever, Eid prayers were also blocked at the historic Al-Aqsa Mosque
This is sad, a crime against humanity. Let people pray in peace… View more pic.twitter.com/tAMmEUVrjT
— Times of Iran News (@Timesofiraan) March 20, 2026
Jerusalem Lockdown: Al-Aqsa, Holy Sites Closed Over Security Fears
Missile threats have made things even more tense. The police kept gatherings under 50 people across the country, worried about spilled shrapnel in places like the Old City. With so many religious areas packed together, the risks just keep climbing.
Researchers say it’s the first time since 1967 that Al-Aqsa has been closed for the last 10 days of Ramzan. For Muslims, it’s the third holiest site.
Things didn’t stay calm. While some worshippers prayed quietly, others pushed at city gates, clashing with police. Officers responded with kicks, slaps, and tear gas at least twice.
Missing prayers at Al-Aqsa cut deep for the faithful. Many described a “broken heart,” caught between faith, politics, and war during one of Islam’s holiest moments.
Turkey President Tayyip Erdoğan condemns Al-Aqsa Mosque shutdown
During the Eid al-Fitr event in Rize, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed Israel for shutting down Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers—saying they used the conflict with Iran as an excuse.
He put it bluntly: “As the Islamic world, we keep hitting roadblocks and traps. Wherever you look, it’s drama, pain, tragedy. The Russia-Ukraine war up north has been raging for five years now. Israel’s actions in Gaza are stopping humanitarian aid and fueling more destruction. They shut Al-Aqsa Mosque under the cover of the Iran war. Settlement expansion and illegal land grabs in Palestine keep picking up speed. Netanyahu keeps ramping up global tensions with terrorism.”
