Every week, young worshippers heading to Al Aqsa Mosque are prevented from entering, says Al Jazeera’s Sara Khairat, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.

“They don’t even manage to get close enough because Israeli forces, every single Friday, push them back with tear gas and water spray. They only allow those who are older to get past. Usually, around 60,000 to 70,000 worshippers attend Friday prayer at Islam’s third holiest site. Last week, it was around 5,000.

“Israelis are saying they’re doing this to prevent any tension because there’s a war and under an emergency law. But Palestinians see it as another excuse to prevent movement and to stop them from being able to go about their daily lives,” Khairat adds.