According to a report by Al Jazeera English on Friday May 29, 2026, Israeli forces have shut down the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, ordering worshippers and mosque staff to leave the site before sealing the area “until further notice,” according to Palestinian officials.
Local authorities at the mosque told the Palestinian news agency WAFA that Israeli soldiers cleared the compound of guards, employees and custodians before locking the entrances. Checkpoints and access gates surrounding the holy site were also reportedly closed, restricting movement across parts of the Old City.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the move, describing it as part of what it called a continuing effort to alter the longstanding status quo at the mosque. Officials said the closure represented a serious infringement on religious freedom and access to worship.
Tensions around the site have long been sensitive because the mosque is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, the complex has frequently been at the centre of political and security disputes in the West Bank.
Residents in Hebron say restrictions around the Old City have intensified in recent months, with tighter checkpoints, road closures and increased military presence affecting daily movement for Palestinians living in the area. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the impact such measures have on local residents and businesses.
The latest closure comes amid wider unrest across the occupied West Bank, where Israeli military operations, settler violence, raids and arrests have continued alongside the ongoing war in Gaza. Palestinian officials argue that repeated restrictions around the Ibrahimi Mosque are aimed at gradually tightening Israeli control over one of the city’s most contested religious landmarks.