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"100,000 people took part in Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, marking the first such gathering after a nearly 40-day closure. The shutdown was imposed by the Israeli government following the outbreak of war with Iran. Footage shows worshippers sitting in the mosque's courtyards and listening to the Friday sermon before praying. A worshipper, Abu Thar, described the period of closure as 'painful,' adding: "I am 66 years old now. I have been coming to Al-Aqsa Mosque since the age of seven. I never thought I would ever see the mosque closed for 40 days." "When it was reopened, I witnessed people crying tears of joy, as if they had been deprived of something most precious to them," another worshipper, Hussein Abu Duhaim, said. The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem reported that "100,000 worshippers performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque after a 40-day closure." Earlier, the department had announced the mosque's reopening as of Thursday, without setting a limit on the number of worshippers, following a decision by Israeli police to reopen holy sites in the city. Early Wednesday, the United States and Iran reached a conditional two-week ceasefire agreement, just before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump to secure a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iranian armed forces would halt 'defensive operations' if attacks on the country stop. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Iranian and US delegations are set to meet in Islamabad 'to resume talks aimed at finalising an agreement and settling all outstanding issues'. Tensions in the Middle East had escalated following joint U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded by launching strikes on Israel and U.S. military positions in the region, amid reports of explosions in several Gulf countries. "
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