Israel denies entry to Al Aqsa worshipers under 50

Israeli police in Jerusalem's Old City kept the Al-Aqsa mosque closed to worshipers under the age of 50 on Tuesday, an official said.

Azzam al-Khatib, the director of the Al-Aqsa mosque, told Ma'an Tuesday that Palestinians under 50 had been denied entry to the holy site since Monday evening.

Dozens performed prayers near the main gates of the Al-Aqsa compound on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, al-Khatib said.

He said an exception was made for students who study in the compound, who were allowed to enter at 8:00 a.m.

At the same time, police allowed a Jewish group to tour the compound.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said he was not familiar with any closures.

The compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque and is the third holiest site in Islam.

Al-Aqsa is located in East Jerusalem, a part of the internationally recognized Palestinian territories that have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.