In a deeply emotional moment for Muslims around the world, Masjid al-Aqsa in occupied East Jerusalem reopened to worshippers on Thursday, April 9, 2026, after being shut for 40 consecutive days. The reopening came just before the dawn (Fajr) prayer, drawing large numbers of Palestinian Muslims who had been waiting and longing to return to the holy site.
Around 3,000 Palestinian worshippers were able to perform the dawn prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, forty days after it was closed by Israeli occupation authorities.
The mosque had been closed amid joint US-Israeli military actions against Iran. As the gates were opened with the morning call to prayer, large numbers of worshippers flocked to the site, with many seen breaking into tears and performing prostrations of gratitude in the mosque’s courtyards.
The closure had been imposed under the pretext of a “state of emergency” and security measures. During this period, Israeli forces imposed strict military measures around the mosque and closed the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Authorities also prevented Eid al-Fitr prayers from being held at Al-Aqsa this year, marking the first such restriction since Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.
The reopening, while celebrated, was accompanied by continued restrictions, including ID checks and reports of worshippers being assaulted at the gates by Israeli police.
