Amman, May 29 (Petra)-- Israeli occupation forces on Friday closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to worshipers until further notice, according to Palestinian officials.

Acting Director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, Hammam Abu Markhiyya, said Israeli forces shut down the site in the morning and forced guards, custodians, employees, and worshipers to leave the compound.

Abu Markhiyya described the move as "a blatant violation of the sanctity of the mosque and a provocative assault on Muslims’ right to access their places of worship," according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Israeli forces also tightened military measures in the area, closing all military checkpoints and electronic gates leading to the mosque.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the closure, calling it "a dangerous violation of freedom of worship" and a direct targeting of Muslims’ right to access their holy sites.

The ministry said the measure reflects Israel’s ongoing policy of undermining the religious and historical status quo at the holy site.

It further denounced the closure as "a dangerous escalation" and a clear provocation to Muslims around the world, stressing that the move constitutes a violation of international laws and agreements that guarantee freedom of worship and the protection of holy places.

The ministry warned of the serious consequences of continued violations aimed at imposing a new reality inside the mosque and called on international and human rights organizations to intervene immediately to halt such practices and ensure the reopening of the mosque to worshippers without restrictions.

//Petra// MF