The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in east Jerusalem will be closed for worship during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for the first time in its history in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus, the authority responsible for overseeing the city's Islamic and Christian holy sites said on Thursday.
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Council, a Jordanian-run organization, stressed that the decision was made in accordance with Islamic fatwas and medical recommendations previously announced.
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The council announced on March 22 that prayers have been suspended at Al-Aqsa due to coronavirus.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site for Muslims. The compound sits on the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site.
To date, Palestinian authorities have confirmed at least 81 coronavirus cases in east Jerusalem.
The number of coronavirus cases in Israel has reached 12,758 with 142 deaths, the Health Ministry said Thursday.
Globally, more than 2.1 million people have contracted coronavirus, with the death toll exceeding 140,000, according to data compiled by the US's Johns Hopkins University. More than 532,800 people have recovered.
