Al-Aqsa Mosque reopens after six-week Israeli shutdown, thousands attend Friday prayers

Thousands of Palestinian worshippers gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on April 10 for Friday prayers, marking the site's reopening after Israeli authorities closed the compound on February 28—preventing access and halting Eid prayers for the first time in decades. The closure lasted over six weeks, representing a significant disruption to one of Islam's most sacred sites and a major restriction on Palestinian religious practice. The reopening and return of worshippers reflects ongoing tensions over Israeli control of the Al-Aqsa compound, a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has global religious and political significance. The incident underscores how security measures and administrative decisions by Israeli authorities directly impact Palestinian access to their holiest sites.