Thousands Gather for First Tarawih Prayer of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa
The faithful occupied both the mosque’s enclosed prayer chambers and its expansive courtyards. Sheikh Yusuf Abu Sneineh, the imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, presided over the evening prayers, eyewitnesses reported.
Videos circulated on social media depicted Israeli police positioned within the compound and moving among congregants as the prayers were underway.
Earlier that day, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, declared that Wednesday would signify the opening of the holy month.
“The crescent of Ramadan has been sighted in accordance with Islamic legal procedures,” he stated, affirming that Feb. 18, 2026 aligns with the first day of Ramadan 1447 on the Islamic calendar.
The worship took place amid escalating strain in occupied East Jerusalem, especially in and around the Old City and the Al-Aqsa compound. Israeli authorities have reinforced security protocols, implementing measures such as detentions and temporary prohibitions targeting religious leaders and activists.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported that Israeli limitations throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, had intensified in advance of Ramadan, restricting access to religious sites.
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