The fast of Tisha B'Av began at sundown on Monday evening.
Police officers, security forces, and security volunteers have been deployed around the Old City of Jerusalem to guard the thousands of worshipers who visit the Western Wall plaza during the fast day.
Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is a day of mourning for the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE, both of which took place on this day. The destruction of the Holy Temple was accompanied by the destruction of the Jewish kingdoms that had existed in the Land of Israel at those times and the exiling of the majority of the Jewish population.
Other historical tragedies, such as the expulsion from Spain in 1492, occurred at or around the time of Tisha B'Av.
Due to the nature of the tragedies that befell the Jewish people and the intensity of the mourning on this day, the fast is stricter than other fast days throughout the year, and lasts from sunset to the following nightfall, or about 25 hours. Many of the prohibitions that apply to Yom Kippur also apply to Tisha B'Av, such as the prohibition of wearing leather shoes, the prohibition of bathing, the prohibition of using oils or lotions, and others.
The fast will end shortly before 8 pm on Tuesday night.