Al-Aqsa Mosque Reopens After 40-Day Closure as Worshippers Return in Large Numbers

Jerusalem | April 10, 2026
Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem was reopened to worshippers on Friday morning after being closed for 40 consecutive days, drawing large crowds of worshippers who gathered at the holy site at dawn.
Israeli authorities permitted worshippers to enter the mosque shortly after its gates were unlocked, with significant numbers making their way to the compound in the early hours. Israel also announced the reopening of other sacred sites in occupied Jerusalem simultaneously.
The closure had been imposed in the wake of the Iran-Israel war, with Israeli authorities citing security concerns as the primary reason for restricting access to the holy sites.
The reopening carries deep symbolic significance for Muslims worldwide and is being widely interpreted as a sign of easing tensions in the region following the ceasefire. The development is expected to be welcomed by Islamic nations and international human rights organizations who had repeatedly called for unhindered access to the mosque during the closure period.