In a significant escalation of tensions in Jerusalem, Israeli police arrested Sheikh Mohammed al-Abbasi, the imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, from inside the mosque's courtyards on February 16, 2026, just days before the start of Ramadan. This arrest has been condemned by Hamas as a 'blatant interference in the affairs of Al-Aqsa' and an 'unacceptable assault on its imams.' As Ramadan commenced on February 18, Israeli authorities severely restricted access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, allowing only 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to attend Friday prayers, a drastic reduction from previous years where up to 250,000 worshippers would gather. Reports indicate that thousands of Palestinians were turned back at checkpoints despite holding permits, with the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities stating that all permits were 'conditional' and required extensive documentation (Middle East Eye, February 20, 2026).