Hamas J’salem rally ploy

Hamas’ leader has called on Palestinians to march to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque at the start of Ramadan next month in a move that could threaten hostage negotiations and a cease-fire deal in Gaza.

Ismail Haniyeh delivered a televised speech Wednesday urging Palestinians to flood the mosque in the holy city after Israel announced last week that it will set limits to how many could congregate to celebrate Ramadan.

“This is a call on our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to AlAqsa since the first day of Ramadan,” Haniyeh said.

The declaration will likely set the stage for an IsraelPalestinian clash in Jerusalem come March 10, which would complicate a 40-day truce deal being brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt.

President Biden had touted that there was an agreement set for a hostageprisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas during Ramadan, with the president hoping a cease-fire could be in place by next Monday.

Hamas, however, has yet to announce its decision on the proposal.

Qatari mediators have said that while the talks remain positive, several key issues have yet to be resolved as Hamas and Israeli negotiators continue to hammer out the details.

Youth banned

Israel has previously issued limits around visits to Al-Aqsa, typically banning young worshippers, a policy that officials say curbs violent demonstrations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that given recent clashes in Jerusalem and the West Bank over the war in Gaza, it was necessary to set some restrictions on the amount of Israeli Muslims allowed into the mosque.

“The prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs determined by professionals,” Netanyahu’s office said. The start of Ramadan was also the deadline Netanyahu previously gave Hamas to free the remaining 134 hostages in Gaza.