Hamas. a Palestinian fighter group, has called on Palestinians to march to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque at the beginning of Ramadan next month, heightening tensions amid negotiations for a potential truce in Gaza.
Hamas appeal follows Biden’s statement
This appeal by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh comes in response to comments from U.S. President Joe Biden, who indicated on Tuesday that there was a preliminary agreement for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during Ramadan. The proposed truce, if finalized by March 4, is expected to coincide with the commencement of the Islamic holy month on March 10.
Biden’s statement also mentioned the release of hostages held by militants, an increase in aid to Gaza, and the potential release of Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement.
However, both Israel and Hamas have downplayed the likelihood of a truce, and Qatari mediators have noted that key issues remain unresolved.
Israel has expressed its willingness to permit Ramadan prayers at the Mosque in Jerusalem but with security-related limitations. Haniyeh, in a televised speech, urged people in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to Al-Aqsa from the first day of Ramadan. While Hamas claims flexibility in negotiations, it also maintains readiness for continued hostilities, and Israel insists that any deal requires Hamas to abandon what it terms “outlandish demands.”
In ongoing talks in Qatar, a proposed 40-day ceasefire – discussed during negotiations in Paris last week – is being considered by Hamas. However, this would be the first extended truce in the five-month-old conflict, and details are still being hammered out between the two sides. The potential agreement suggests that Israeli troops would withdraw from populated areas, but it falls short of meeting Hamas’s demand for a permanent end to the conflict and Israeli withdrawal, leaving key issues unresolved.
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