The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) urged Palestinians on Wednesday to journey to Al-Aqsa Mosque at the beginning of Ramadan, which falls in March. This increases the risks threatening negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which U.S. President Joe Biden hopes will be in effect by then.
The call from Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh came after Biden's statements aired on Tuesday, where he mentioned a principle agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire during Ramadan alongside the release of hostages held by the group. Biden expressed hope for this agreement to be finalized by March 4. A source indicated that the agreement would also allow more aid to enter the beleaguered Palestinian territory and lead to the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Both Israel and Hamas have downplayed the likelihood of a ceasefire, stating that the most contentious issues remain unresolved, as per Qatari mediators. Israel announced on Monday that it would permit prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, but would impose restrictions based on security needs, which could spark clashes should large crowds of Palestinians gather amid ongoing violence in Gaza.
Haniyeh stated, "A call to our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank to journey to Al-Aqsa from the first day of Ramadan,” describing Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 as a step to end Israeli assaults on Palestinian territories. He added in a televised speech that Hamas displays flexibility in negotiations with Israel but is also prepared to continue fighting. Earlier, Israel stated that any agreement with Hamas would require the group to abandon "fantastical demands."
Hamas is considering a proposal accepted by Israel during talks with mediators in Paris last week, which would entail a 40-day ceasefire, marking the first extended truce in the five-month ongoing war. Delegations from both sides are in Qatar this week to finalize the details. A senior source close to the negotiations indicated that Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas under the agreement. However, it does not seem to meet Hamas's demand for a permanent end to the war and withdrawal of Israel, nor does it provide a solution regarding Israeli men of conscription age held by Hamas.
Haniyeh also called on the resistance axis, which includes allies of Iran like the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, as well as Arab countries, to intensify their support for Palestinians in Gaza. He stated, "It is the duty of the Arab and Islamic nation, the neighboring states of the occupied Palestine, to initiate breaking the conspiracy of starvation from northern Gaza," referring to what Palestinians claim appears to be a deliberate Israeli policy to deprive them of food.
In the north, residents and armed groups reported that Israeli focus is on the Zeitoun neighborhood, which has witnessed intense gunfire battles in recent days, despite the army’s declaration of having controlled the area months earlier.