Ramadan’s first Friday prayers are held at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by By SAM MEDNICKFebruary 21, 2026 at 09:23 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

On February 20, 2026, the first Friday prayers of Ramadan were held at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque. Despite a fragile ceasefire, Ramadan in Gaza is starkly different from previous years, with some Palestinians holding prayers in a school-turned-shelter. Israeli soldiers were present at the Qalandia checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem, as Palestinian worshippers passed through on their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque. The images show worshippers praying both inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and outside in Jerusalem's Old City. The event highlights the ongoing tensions and altered circumstances surrounding Ramadan observances in the region.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Mahmoud Illean ×230% Leo Correa ×240% West Bank ×250% Ramallah 50% Israeli ×360% Qalandia checkpoint ×260% Palestinians ×270% Gaza City ×270% Jerusalem ×690% Ramadan ×890% Al-Aqsa Mosque ×795%

Keywords

ramadan 100% al-aqsa mosque 90% jerusalem 80% palestinian worshippers 70% friday prayers 70% qalandia checkpoint 60% israeli military 60% west bank 50% gaza 50% ceasefire 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

Source Transparency

Source

Associated Press (AP)

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Al-Aqsa Mosque

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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ramadan al-aqsa mosque jerusalem palestinian worshippers friday prayers qalandia checkpoint israeli military west bank gaza ceasefire

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