Overview
- Israel’s Civil Administration said all Old City holy sites, including the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, remain closed for security reasons.
- The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported on March 12 that a missile fell a few hundred meters from the Old City, and police circulated photos of fragments near the church and Al‑Aqsa.
- Reports said there were no casualties and no major damage at the affected holy sites despite the nearby impact and debris.
- Church leaders are pressing police to allow Holy Week observances on a reduced basis, with local Catholic officials expecting services limited to clergy only.
- The shutdown has fueled online apocalyptic speculation that scholars publicly caution against, as local accounts also note recent restrictions during Ramadan’s Laylat al‑Qadr.