Jerusalem, January 19, 2026 (WAFA) – As a result of Israeli excavations beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, three Abu Sbeih families were forced to evacuate their homes in the Ain al-Fouqa area of ​​Silwan on Monday, following a sudden collapse that caused a room inside one of the adjacent houses to fall, posing a danger to the residents.

The Jerusalem Governorate stated that this incident comes after the collapse of a retaining wall yesterday, which had been a cause for concern. Residents confirmed that they had repeatedly notified the Israeli municipality of the urgent need for intervention, but the municipality refused to take any preventative measures to stop further collapses or ensure the safety of the residents.

Fawaz Abu Sbeih told the Jerusalem Governorate that the family had submitted several official reports to the Israeli municipality regarding serious cracks in the walls of their house caused by Israeli excavations beneath and around the homes. He explained that the effects of these excavations had worsened significantly with the recent storm, accelerating the collapse. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the municipality took no action, even though the Israeli authorities prohibit residents from carrying out maintenance or excavation work to reinforce building foundations.

In the same context, the family added that the men and parents refuse to leave their homes despite the dangers, keen to remain and avoid evacuation, fearing that the occupation authorities would exploit any forced eviction as a pretext to seize or confiscate the homes later.

The Jerusalem Governorate confirmed that the collapses in Silwan are part of a systematic policy of forced displacement based on dangerous colonial excavations and the deliberate neglect of their impact on the homes of Jerusalemites, while simultaneously preventing Jerusalemite families from repairing or reinforcing their homes.

K.T