Jerusalem, October 22 (RHC)-- Israeli forces have razed to the ground at least three Palestinian homes and three structures for keeping livestock in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem.

According to local residents in the Arab-majority neighborhood of al-Tur, located in the east of the Old City, Israeli bulldozers escorted by Israeli forces demolished the houses belonging to Palestinians, leaving 23 people homeless.

Khader al-Zari, the owner of the homes, said Israelis troops started destroying the dwellings while items of furniture were still inside. Meanwhile, Jawad Siyyam, a Palestinian activist who runs the Silwan Community Center, said that a group of Israeli settlers took over two buildings in Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem.

Extremist Israeli settlers often raid Palestinian villages, damaging houses and properties. The attackers hardly ever face justice as Israeli authorities overlook the vandalism.

Last week, a group of settlers carried out an arson attack on a Palestinian mosque in a village in the occupied West Bank. They destroyed the doors and windows of the Abu Baker al-Saddiq Mosque, which is located in the village of Aqraba.

The Tel Aviv regime continues expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories despite condemnation by much of the international community.