Palestinian officials reported restrictions being imposed around the Al‑Aqsa Mosque, ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as Israeli police said Monday that they would deploy in force around the mosque, which is Islam's third-holiest site.
Over the course of the month of fasting and prayer, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at Al‑Aqsa, located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed.
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement it had been informed that permits to enter the compound would be restricted to men over 55 and women over 50, mirroring last year's criteria.
It said Israeli authorities had blocked the Islamic Waqf -- the Jordanian‑run body administering the site -- from carrying out routine preparations, including installing shade structures and setting up temporary medical clinics.
A Waqf source confirmed the restrictions and said 33 of its employees had been barred from entering the compound in the week before Ramadan.
The Al‑Aqsa compound is a central symbol of Palestinian identity and also a frequent flashpoint.
Under long‑standing arrangements, Jews may visit the compound -- which they revere as the site of their second temple, Temple Mount, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD -- but they are not permitted to pray there.
Israel says it is committed to maintaining this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is being eroded.
In recent years, a growing number of Jewish ultranationalists have challenged the prayer ban, including far‑right politician Itamar Ben‑Gvir, who prayed at the site while serving as national security minister in 2024 and 2025.
Arad Braverman, a senior Jerusalem police officer, said forces would be deployed "day and night" across the compound and in the surrounding area.
He said thousands of police would also be on duty for Friday prayers, which draw the largest crowds of Muslim worshippers.
Braverman said police had recommended issuing 10,000 permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, who require special permission to enter Jerusalem.
He did not say whether age limits would apply, adding that the final number of people would be decided by the government.