July 2025 in the city of Jerusalem
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Jerusalem issued its monthly report for July 2025, documenting the continuation of Israeli violations in the city of Jerusalem, most notably the incursions and serious attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, along with daily arrests of Jerusalemites, and the escalation of demolitions, displacement, and deportation orders.
The report also noted the continued targeting of released Jerusalemite prisoners and those deported to the Gaza Strip by the occupation authorities.
Jerusalem Martyrs on the land of Gaza
During July, two martyrs from the Old City of Jerusalem were killed during the war on the Gaza Strip:
• July 3, 2025: Freed prisoner Bassam Abu Sneineh was martyred in the Gaza Strip. He had been arrested in 2000 on charges of carrying out a stabbing attack in which a settler was killed. He was sentenced to life imprisonment until his release as part of the Wafa al-Ahrar/Shalit prisoner exchange deal in 2011, when he was deported to Gaza.
• July 8, 2025: Freed prisoner Riyad Assaileh from the Old City was martyred. He had also been arrested in 2000 on the same charge as Abu Sneineh, received a similar sentence, and was released in the same deal and deported to Gaza.
The Center explained that the martyrdom of Assaileh and Abu Sneineh brings the number of freed Jerusalemite prisoners martyred since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023 to six.
Desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque: Public prayers and nationalist rituals in the courtyards
During July, Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed serious and organized violations by the occupation forces and the so-called Temple Mount groups. These included daily incursions carried out by more than 5,000 extremist settlers, except on Fridays and Saturdays. These incursions occurred during two periods: morning (7:00-11:30 a.m.) and evening (1:30-3:00 p.m.), through the Dung Gate, which has been under occupation by the occupation authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem.
During these incursions, settlers performed public religious rituals, including prayers, collective prostration, singing, dancing, and clapping. These prayers are now performed individually and collectively in the various courtyards of the mosque.
In July, Al-Aqsa Mosque also witnessed special prayers commemorating dead soldiers, weddings, puberty celebrations, and marriage ceremonies, in addition to a religious-nationalist musical performance by a band inside the mosque.
On July 13, during what is known as the "Seventeenth of Tammuz Fast" according to the Hebrew calendar, 512 settlers stormed the mosque under heavy protection from the occupation police.
Demolitions and displacement
Demolitions continued in Jerusalem during July, under the pretext of "building without a permit," as part of a systematic plan aimed at reducing the Palestinian presence.
The Center documented 25 demolitions and closures of residential, commercial, and agricultural facilities, most of which belonged to Jerusalemite families and housed dozens of individuals.
Demolition methods included: self-demolition, in which families were forced to demolish their homes to avoid heavy fines, and forced demolition, carried out by Israeli municipality crews accompanied by Israeli forces.
The Israeli occupation authorities also continued to issue demolition orders, stop-work notices, and summonses to report to the municipality, as part of a systematic policy of restrictions.
Suppression of “Trade Union Work”: Preventing elections and mass summons
The occupation authorities prevented the Palestinian Bar Association elections from being held in Jerusalem. A force from the occupation police and intelligence services raided the headquarters of the Bar Association in Beit Hanina during the voting process.
Fifteen Jerusalem lawyers were also summoned for interrogation at the "Rooms 4" Center in West Jerusalem, in a move described as targeting trade union and professional work.
Daily arrests targeting everyone
The occupation authorities continued their daily arrest campaigns in Jerusalem, targeting children, youth, women, and the elderly, in addition to hundreds of young men holding West Bank ID cards, under the pretext of "illegal residency."
Among those arrested was Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, who was arrested from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque after completing his Friday sermon. He addressed the policy of starvation, stating that Palestinians were "dying of hunger in front of the world." He was subsequently banned from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Linda Alayan, the mother of the martyred child, Wadi’ Shadi Alayan, was interrogated about her posts in which her son was described as a "martyr," which the investigators deemed "incitement." They incited her by insulting her son during the interrogation. It is worth noting that the martyr, Wadi’ Shadi Alayan (14 years old), was martyred on February 5, 2024, after being shot at the entrance to the town of Eizariya, and his body is still being held.
Deportation policy: Evacuating Al-Aqsa and the Old City
The occupation authorities continued to issue deportation orders from Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City, as part of a policy aimed at emptying the area of Palestinian presence.
The Information Center documented 12 deportation orders during July, that included Jerusalemites and employees of the Islamic Endowment Department.
