World Bulletin / News Desk

Israeli forces demolished two houses in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Tur on Tuesday, locals said, leaving seven people homeless, reported Ma'an News Agency. 

Israeli forces raided two homes owned by the Shalan family early Tuesday and forced them to evacuate the property and take their belongings with them, members of the family told Ma'an.

Israeli bulldozers then destroyed the properties.

"The house was built 12 years ago on land that my parents bought a long time ago. We tried so many times to get a building permit but the Israeli courts kept refusing and we used to receive financial penalties and they threatened us with demolition three years ago," Um Mahmoud told Ma'an.

Seven people lived in the properties, she added.