June 2025 in the city of Jerusalem
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Jerusalem issued its monthly report for June 2025, which monitors the most prominent violations against the city of Jerusalem and its residents, under the state of emergency declared by the occupation authorities coinciding with the war between Israel and Iran.
During this month, the city witnessed a dangerous escalation affecting most aspects of life, represented by the use of explosive bullets against civilians inside their homes, an increase in attacks at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the continued policy of daily arrests, demolition orders, and deportation orders, perpetuating a reality of collective oppression and abuse against Jerusalemites.
Shu’fat refugee camp: Martyr Zahia Joudeh al-Obeidi
On June 25, 2025, Mrs. Zahia Joudeh al-Obeidi (66 years old) was martyred by Israeli occupation forces while sitting with her family on the roof of their apartment building (fourth floor) in the Shu’fat refugee camp, northeast of Jerusalem. Zahia was hit in the head by an explosive bullet fired by the occupation forces during the raid on the camp. Her body was detained for hours before being handed over to her family.
Al-Aqsa Mosque: A dangerous precedent and closure under “Emergency Situations”
During June, Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed an unprecedented escalation in the nature of violations. The center described this as a "dangerous precedent," with the introduction of Jewish religious rituals, including wine and "holy bread," in addition to the storming of the mosque by extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who demanded that settlers be allowed to perform their rituals, sing, and dance inside the mosque without any police objection. The closure and siege were imposed during the war.
Details of the violations inside Al-Aqsa Mosque:
• On June 2, 2025, four extremist settlers stormed the Dome of the Rock courtyard from the northern side, carrying a bag containing a container of wine, fresh bread, and a piece of cloth stained with blood. One of them, wearing the priest's robes used for prayers and sacrifices, began sprinkling water and wine in the area as part of a ritual believed to be intended to "sanctify the hands and feet."
This incident occurred as dozens of settlers stormed the mosque on the occasion of the holiday of Shavuot (the Passover holiday). The settlers headed to the Dome of the Chain area – east of the Dome of the Rock – believing it to be the site of the alleged "altar" for the construction of the Temple. As the four settlers stormed the site, the group they were with, who stood on the northern side of the roof, sang, clapped, and chanted, "We will build the holy temple."
• On June 11, 2025, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, accompanied by a number of senior police officers, and performed prayers inside. He publicly demanded that settlers be allowed to perform their prayers throughout the mosque without objection.
• On June 13, 2025, the occupation authorities completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque, allowing entry only to employees of the Islamic Endowment Department.
• On June 18, 2025, Al-Aqsa Mosque was partially reopened, with only the Hutta and Al-Silsileh Gates open. Strict restrictions were imposed on the number of worshippers permitted to enter, limiting the number to 500, and prayers were restricted to the covered prayer areas.
• On June 22, 2025, Al-Aqsa Mosque was closed again, allowing only Islamic Endowment employees to enter.
• On June 24, 2025, Al-Aqsa Mosque was fully reopened after the official announcement of the end of the state of emergency.
These measures were part of the restrictions imposed by the "Israeli Home Front Command," which included closing schools, closing non-essential institutions, and banning public gatherings.
During this month, hundreds of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed individual and collective religious rituals, including prostration, singing, dancing, and loudly chanting religious hymns, without interference from the police. According to publications by extremist Temple groups, the police received direct instructions from Minister Ben-Gvir not to prevent these rituals. Furthermore, a settler wedding was celebrated inside Al-Aqsa.
In the final days of the month, settlers publicly thanked Ben-Gvir on their digital platforms, considering the event a "historic achievement" that granted them the freedom to perform rituals and sing at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Injuries from explosive bullets
During the emergency period associated with the war between Israel and Iran, the occupation forces used explosive bullets during their raids on neighborhoods in Jerusalem, wounding a child and a young man in the town of Al-Tur.
The center explained that the child, Iyas Abu Mufreh (13 years old), and his cousin, Uday Abu Jum’a (22 years old), were injured while eating dinner in front of the family's home, with no clashes taking place in the area. It later emerged that an occupation forces sniper had shot them directly.
Iyas was injured by an explosive bullet in the hand, while Uday was injured by a similar bullet in the abdomen. His injuries were described as critical.
Following their injuries, the occupation forces raided Al-Maqased Hospital, where they were transferred. They interrogated Iyas's mother inside the ambulance while he was being transported to Hadassah Hospital. They also arrested Iyas's and Uday's parents after raiding their homes.
Eviction Orders: Families in Silwan and Umm Tuba threatened by settlers
Eviction orders against Jerusalemite families continued throughout June, as part of Israeli policies aimed at controlling Palestinian neighborhoods for the benefit of settler organizations, under various pretexts.
In the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, three Jerusalemite families—al-Rajabi, Odeh, and Shweiki—received court orders to vacate their homes and residential buildings in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, threatening approximately 25 individuals with forced displacement.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem explained that the Ateret Cohanim settlement association claims ownership of approximately 5200 square meters of land in the neighborhood, alleging that it has belonged to Jews from Yemen since 1881. Since 2015, the association has been delivering court orders and notices to the neighborhood's families, having obtained the right to manage the so-called "Jewish association properties" in 2001.
Indeed, these claims have led to the displacement of several Jerusalemite families in recent years, including the Shehada, Abu Nab, and Ghaith families. Meanwhile, legal battles waged by Palestinian families to defend their historical presence in the neighborhood continue. In the town of Umm Tuba, south of Jerusalem, the so-called "Israel Land Authority" delivered eviction orders to 18 homes, most of which had been built with official permits over the past years.
Umm Tuba residents learned that their land had been registered in the name of the Jewish National Fund late last year when one of them went to the municipality to apply for a building permit. They filed objections with the relevant courts and were surprised by the eviction orders last month.
They discovered that their land had been registered in the name of the Jewish National Fund on May 15, 2023, as part of the so-called "Land Regularization and Registration Project" launched by the Israeli government in 2018.
Prisoners released in the exchange deal are under attack
In June 2025, the occupation authorities continued to target prisoners released in the latest exchange deal, issuing punitive decisions that affect their residency rights.
The occupation authorities handed Mohammad Ali Attoun (22 years old) from the town of Sur Baher a decision to revoke his Israeli ID/permanent residency after raiding his home and re-arresting him. Attoun was released in February 2025 as part of the fifth batch of the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, after serving more than two years of a four-and-a-half-year sentence handed down in late 2022.
Repeated attacks and a tight siege
Under the state of emergency, violations against Palestinians in Jerusalem continued. Occupation forces carried out repeated raids on neighborhoods and towns, accompanied by the sound of air raid sirens, explosions in the city, or mobile phone alerts. These raids were accompanied by the use of sound bombs, tear gas, rubber bullets, and wastewater, as occurred in Silwan, Al-Tur, Issawiya, Shu’fat refugee camp, Jabal Al-Mukabber, Wadi al-Joz, and Sheikh Jarrah.
Raids were carried out on homes and public places, arrests and detentions of young men, and house searches.
A tight siege was also imposed on the Old City, with checkpoints placed at all entrances, occupation forces deployed on its roads, and entry prohibited to anyone except residents, after checking ID cards and verifying their addresses.
In Al-Tur, forces suddenly closed two main streets with concrete blocks, forcing residents to walk long distances to reach their homes without the ability to use their vehicles or public buses.
In Anata, forces installed an iron gate at the entrance to the town, allowing them to open and close it freely.
Demolitions continue
Demolitions continued in Jerusalem during June, under the pretext of "building without a permit," as part of a systematic policy targeting the Palestinian presence.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Jerusalem documented 12 demolitions and closures during the month, targeting residential, commercial, and agricultural facilities. These included the closure of commercial establishments allegedly employing Palestinians with West Bank ID cards.
The demolitions varied between self-demolitions, in which the family was forced to carry out the demolition themselves to avoid heavy fines, and demolition operations carried out by the occupation municipality's crews, supported by police forces.
Continuous arrests
The Israeli occupation authorities continued their arrest campaigns in Jerusalem, carrying out daily arrests. These arrests included children, youths, women, and the elderly, in addition to hundreds of arrests of Palestinians holding West Bank ID cards on the pretext of "illegal residency in Jerusalem."
