Just minutes before the prayers were set to begin in Jerusalem on Friday, a CNN team on the ground heard several loud bangs, likely stun grenades.
Smoke was visible near the Lions’ Gate — one of several entrances to Jerusalem’s Old City.
The road leading to the gate has been sealed off by Israeli authorities, who are restricting entry to the Old City.
Police have been restrictive about who can enter the city. Access to the al-Aqsa compound has been restricted to people over the age of 60, an eyewitness told CNN.
In a video obtained by CNN, upwards of 10 Israeli soldiers could be seen climbing the stairs towards al-Aqsa mosque.
CNN’s Becky Anderson and team reported from Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City at midday as the prayers took place.
“This is the most contentious site in Jerusalem and really at the heart of this conflict,” Anderson reported live on air.
“Anybody can visit, but only Muslims can pray here… This hour the question is, who will be allowed by Israeli authorities, Israeli soldiers, to actually access this site?” Anderson said.
“We are being told it is selective access today, but we just need to wait to see how this develops,” Anderson added.
Some context: Restricting access to the al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, is a contentious move that could be seen as provocation. Palestinians living in the West Bank have not been allowed to enter the city for days.
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