Hamas: Israel plans ‘religious war’, seeks to turn al-Quds into barracks in Ramadan

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has said the Israeli regime is fearful of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan amid growing anti-occupation outrage in the Palestinian territories, warning that the illegal entity plans to wage a “religious war” against the al-Aqsa Mosque and the occupied al-Quds.

Mohammed Hamada, a spokesman for Hamas, was cited by Palestine’s Shehab news agency as making the comment following weeks-long Israeli-provoked tensions and violent raids in the Palestinian towns and cities ahead of Ramadan.

“The occupation fears the month of Ramadan with all its details, and is turning the city of al-Quds into a military barracks to control it,” Hamada said.

Stressing that the Israeli regime is “pushing towards a religious war against al-Aqsa Mosque and al-Quds,” the Hamas spokesman said the areas of the Moroccan Gate, also known as the Mughrabi Gate, and al-Buraq Wall (the Western Wall) are among the “most sensitive and dangerous” places for the illegal entity.

“Our people will not allow the occupation to attack the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, and that the aggression against al-Aqsa Mosque is a detonator that could explode at any moment,” Hamada added.

The Hamas official said the Tel Aviv regime is waging a campaign of arrests and deportations in order to judaize the occupied al-Quds and bears full responsibility for the barbaric aggression against the al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The occupation is under a delusion to think that the aggression against al-Aqsa Mosque will be without a price, the bond of our people in al-Aqsa Mosque will thwart the occupation's plans," Hamada noted.

Salah al-Aruri, deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, warned Israel on Tuesday against “violations” at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan amid renewed tensions in the occupied territories.

Hamas warns Israel against al-Aqsa ‘violations’ during Ramadan

Hamas says the risk of escalation entirely depends on the Israeli occupation’s violations across Palestine and at al-Aqsa Mosque.

The holy fasting month of Ramadan has often coincided with rise in violence between Palestinians and Israelis, particularly at al-Aqsa, Islam’s third holiest site.

Under the protection of Israeli forces, illegal Israeli settlers have violently stormed al-Aqsa during Ramadan, attacking Palestinian worshipers inside the compound.

In January, Israel’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards in a highly provocative move, with Palestinians condemning the intrusion as a violation of international law and al-Aqsa’s historical status quo.

The Jewish visitation of al-Aqsa is permitted, but non-Muslim worship is prohibited according to an agreement signed between Tel Aviv and the Jordanian government in the wake of Israel’s occupation of East al-Quds in 1967.

Tensions have increased in the occupied territories since late December 2022, when Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power as head of the occupying regime’s most far-right cabinet ever.

Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.

Young Palestinian man killed in West Bank as Israel’s atrocities continue unabated

Israeli military forces kill a young Palestinian man in the occupied northern West Bank city of al-Bireh.

Most of the raids have focused on Nablus and Jenin, where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian resistance in the occupied cities.

Since the start of this year, at least 88 Palestinians, including 17 children and one woman, have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Local and international rights groups have condemned Israel’s excessive use of force and “shoot-to-kill policy” against Palestinians.

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