Occupied Jerusalem, March 24 (Petra) -- Israeli occupation authorities continued, for the 25th consecutive day, to close the al-Aqsa Mosque/ al-Haram al-Sharif in occupied Jerusalem, preventing worshippers from performing prayers under the pretext of security conditions linked to the war on Gaza, amid intensified military measures and the isolation of the Old City.

The closure coincided with a heavy deployment of occupation forces and the installation of military checkpoints, restricting access to the Old City to residents only. The measures forced many Palestinians to pray in the streets, while the city experienced economic paralysis and disruptions to daily life and education.

In a separate development, occupation authorities issued demolition orders for seven homes in the village of Qalandiya, north of Jerusalem, while demolishing a house under construction south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

The Jerusalem Governorate said the demolition orders targeted inhabited homes in Qalandiya’s eastern neighborhood, giving residents 21 days to evacuate ahead of demolition, according to official notices.

It added that the occupation authorities claim the structures were built without permits despite having existed for decades, pointing to a continued policy of demolitions and repeated orders targeting Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and nearby areas.

Meanwhile, the al-Baydar human rights organization said occupation forces demolished a house under construction in western Beit Awa, describing the move as part of a broader policy aimed at restricting Palestinians and undermining their right to housing.

In parallel, occupation forces carried out a wide-ranging campaign of raids and incursions across the occupied West Bank, detaining 25 Palestinians.

//Petra// AJ