Thousands gather at Al-Aqsa for first Friday prayers of Ramadan

Tens of thousands of Muslims flocked to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds on the first Friday of Ramadan for noon prayers, which passed peacefully despite concerns about a repeat of Israeli-Palestinian violence that erupted during the Muslim holy month last year, Reuters reports.

From early morning, residents of cities such as Bethlehem and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank lined up at Israeli checkpoints to visit Al-Aqsa.

Israeli occupation authorities imposed restrictions on Palestinians making their way to pray Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque from the West Bank.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli forces thoroughly checked Palestinians at the crossings leading to occupied Jerusalem and prevented many of them from entering the holy city.

Palestinian girl Alaa' said she and a group of women tried to enter Al-Quds through the Qalandia checkpoint but were prevented by Israeli occupation forces. They would now attempt to enter through a different checkpoint, she added.

Days before the start of Ramadan, far-right Israeli lawmaker, Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount, in a move seen by Palestinians as a provocation.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, which sits atop a plateau in the heart of Al-Quds' Old City, is one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East conflict.

Last year saw nightly clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police during the fasting month. Threats of Palestinian displacement in East Al-Quds and police raids at Al-Aqsa Mosque helped ignite an 11-day Israel-Gaza war that killed more than 250 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 people in Israel.

Israel captured East Al-Quds in a 1967 war, later annexing it, in a move not recognised internationally. Palestinians want East Al-Quds as the capital of a future Palestinian state.