Large fire breaks out at historic Islamic cemetery in Haifa

A large fire has engulfed the al-Istiqlal Islamic cemetery in the mixed Jewish-Palestinian city of Haifa.

According to the imam of the al-Istiqlal mosque, Asaad Mahmoud, there have been no casualties announced yet.

"We do not know yet whether it was deliberate or just an accident," he said.

"The firefighting crew have put out the fire," he added. 

Videos shared online showed emergency services attempting to extinguish the blaze. 

During the past week, Haifa has seen a surge of violence and attacks aimed at Palestinian protesters, who are demonstrating against Israel’s use of air strikes on Gaza and the storming of the revered al-Aqsa. Numerous videos showed Israeli police beating and arresting protesters. 

According to local media, the cemetery has been attacked in recent years, the most recent occasion being an act of arson in 2019. The mosque has particular historical significance as it is considered to be a noteworthy monument in the city.