Israel said it will reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem starting Thursday, after weeks of closure that coincided with the Eid and Easter periods.
In a statement released Wednesday, Israeli police said they are "preparing to reopen the holy sites to worshippers and visitors starting Thursday morning, April 9," following updated Home Front Command guidelines.
Police said hundreds of officers and border guards will be deployed in Jerusalem’s Old City and on roads leading to the sites, saying the move is intended to secure visitors.
The Islamic Waqf Department said Al-Aqsa Mosque will reopen for dawn prayers, adding that entry will be permitted for all, without providing further details.
Israeli authorities had closed both sites since Feb. 28, citing the prevention of gatherings as a precautionary measure during the war involving Israel, the U.S. and Iran.
Authorities also prevented the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Al-Aqsa this year, marking the first such restriction since Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.
