Tens of thousands of citizens performed Friday prayers in the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the Israeli checkpoints.

The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem estimated the number of worshipers in Al-Aqsa at about 50,000 worshipers.

Since the early hours of the morning, the occupation forces have been deployed in the streets of Jerusalem and around Al-Aqsa Mosque, checking the ID cards of worshipers coming to the mosque, and preventing dozens of them from entering it.

A few days ago, intensive calls were made from Jerusalemites to seclude themselves in Al-Aqsa Mosque and to defend it during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, which begins next Thursday, and continues until Eid al-Adha.