EAST JERUSALEM: Tens of thousands of Muslims attended the first Tarawih prayer of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite restrictions imposed by Israel. Following the sighting of the new moon and the start of the first day of Ramadan at Maghrib prayer, worshippers gathered at the mosque and formed rows for Isha and Tarawih prayers behind Yousef Abu Sneineh, the mosque’s imam and preacher. The Qibla Mosque, Dome of the Rock, and the surrounding courtyards were filled with worshippers. Although a ceasefire has been declared, Palestinians are observing Ramadan under difficult conditions this year, amid concerns over the situation in the Gaza Strip and rising attacks in the West Bank. The Jerusalem Governorate, part of the Palestinian Authority, previously said that Israel continues to hinder special Ramadan preparations at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
