Occupied Jerusalem, October 23 (QNA) - Israeli occupation forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in the occupied West Bank to Muslim worshippers on Friday, expelling its administrative staff and personnel and barring them from remaining on the premises.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the closure and the expulsion of mosque personnel, characterizing the actions as a severe violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and the freedom of worship, rights guaranteed under international charters and laws.

The Ministry asserted that closing the mosque and prohibiting prayers form part of a systematic policy of Judaization and restrictive measures aimed at imposing full control over the site, enforcing a temporal and spatial division, and stripping the sanctuary of its legitimate Islamic administration.

It emphasized that the Ibrahimi Mosque, along with all its halls and courtyards, constitutes an exclusively Islamic endowment (waqf), affirming that aggressive measures targeting the site, its custodians, and its staff will not alter its Islamic character or historical identity.

Warning against the consequences of recurring violations and assaults against religious personnel and holy places, the Ministry called on the international community, along with human rights and international organizations led by UNESCO, to uphold their responsibilities and intervene urgently to compel occupation authorities to cease interference with Islamic holy sites. (QNA)