300 Gazans head to Jerusalem to pray in Al-Aqsa
Aug. 21, 2015 11:21 A.M. (Updated: Aug. 21, 2015 11:21 A.M.)
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=767169

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip headed to
pray in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem via the Erez crossing on Friday.

An official at the Palestinian liaison office told Ma'an that 300
Palestinians above the age of 50 headed early Friday to Jerusalem from the
Gaza Strip.

Weekly access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Gazans has become routine since
October 2014 when some 500 Palestinians in Gaza prayed at the mosque for the
first time since 2007, having been prevented by Israel from traveling to
Jerusalem since that time.

The decision to allow Gazans to travel to Al-Aqsa was reached as part of the
ceasefire deal between Palestinian militant groups and Israel that ended the
more than 50-day war over summer in which Israeli bombardment killed more
than 2,200 Gazans.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam and has received
thousands of Palestinian worshipers during Ramadan this year, the majority
of whom required permits from Israel to access the holy site that lies in
Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.