Israeli forces demolish minaret of mosque near Hebron

Israeli occupation forces demolished an under-construction minaret of a mosque in the town of Dura, south of Hebron.

According to WAFA, troops accompanied by bulldozers entered Dura from its eastern side and advanced toward the al-Hijra suburb. Residents were ordered to leave the area as soldiers sealed off nearby roads before demolishing the structure.

Saher al-Darawish, director of the Southern Endowments Department, told WAFA that the forces began dismantling a 15-meter-high minaret being built as part of the al-Farouq Mosque in al-Hijra.

He said the demolition was carried out under the pretext that the structure lacked a permit and was situated opposite a military tower installed on citizens’ land at the entrance to the town.

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Earlier, the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said that Israel was carrying out excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and destroying Islamic artifacts.

In a statement, the governorate said that leaked video showed Israeli forces carrying out “illegal excavations” under the mosque. It claimed that digging had already resulted in the destruction of Islamic artifacts dating back to the Umayyad era.

“These archaeological pieces are undeniable proof of Muslims’ historical ownership of Al-Aqsa,” the statement said, adding that Israel is trying to erase the site’s Islamic identity and promote the narrative of the so-called ‘Temple Mount.’