JERUSALEM/CAIRO/RAFAH, Gaza: Palestinians ready for Ramadan in somber temper with heightened safety measures by Israeli police and the spectre of conflict and starvation in Gaza overshadowing the usually festive Muslim holy month as talks to safe a ceasefire stalled.
Hundreds of police have been deployed across the slim streets of the Outdated Metropolis in Jerusalem, the place tens of hundreds of worshippers are anticipated each day on the Al Aqsa mosque compound, one of many holiest websites in Islam.
The world, thought of probably the most sacred place by Jews who realize it as Temple Mount, has been a longstanding flashpoint for bother and was one of many beginning factors of the final conflict in 2021 between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist motion that controls Gaza.
That 10-day battle has been dwarfed by the present conflict, which is now in its sixth month. It started on Oct. 7 when hundreds of Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 folks, by Israeli tallies.
Israel’s relentless marketing campaign in Gaza has precipitated growing alarm the world over because the rising threat of famine threatens so as to add to a demise toll that has already handed 31,000.
After some confusion final month when hard-right Safety Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated he needed restrictions on worshippers at Al Aqsa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the numbers admitted can be much like final 12 months.
“That is our mosque and we should maintain it,” stated Azzam Al-Khatib, director normal of the Jerusalem Waqf, the non secular basis that oversees Al Aqsa. “We should shield the presence of Muslims at this mosque, who ought to be capable to enter in massive numbers peacefully and safely.”
The beginning of Ramadan is determined by lunar observations — for Palestinians it can start on Monday, whereas it can begin on Tuesday in some Arab and Muslim nations.
In distinction to earlier years, the standard decorations across the Outdated Metropolis haven’t been put up and there was an identical somber tone in cities throughout the occupied West Financial institution, the place round 400 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with safety forces or Jewish settlers for the reason that begin of the Gaza conflict.
“We determined this 12 months that the Outdated Metropolis of Jerusalem gained’t be embellished out of respect for the blood of our kids and the elders and the martyrs,” stated Ammar Sider, a group chief within the Outdated Metropolis.
Police stated they have been working to make sure a peaceable Ramadan and had taken additional measures to crack down on what they described as provocative and distorted info on social media networks and had arrested 20 folks suspected of incitement to terrorism.
“The Israel Police will proceed to behave and permit for the observance of Ramadan prayers safely on the Temple Mount, whereas sustaining safety and security within the space,” police stated in a press release.
For the remainder of the Muslim world, Israel’s policing of Al Aqsa has lengthy been among the many most bitterly resented points and final month, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh referred to as on Palestinians to march to the mosque at first of Ramadan.
Final 12 months, clashes that erupted when police entered the mosque compound drew condemnation from the Arab League in addition to Saudi Arabia, with which Israel had been looking for to normalize diplomatic ties, extending its push to construct ties with regional powers together with the United Arab Emirates.
CEASEFIRE HOPES
Hopes for a ceasefire, which might have allowed Ramadan to cross peacefully and enabled the return of at the least a few of the 134 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, seem to have been disenchanted with talks in Cairo apparently stalled.
A Hamas official instructed Reuters the group was open to extra negotiations however, so far as he knew, no dates had been set for additional conferences with mediators in Cairo.
Within the ruins of Gaza itself, the place half the two.3 million inhabitants is squeezed into the southern metropolis of Rafah, many residing beneath plastic tents and going through a extreme scarcity of meals, the temper was correspondingly sombre.
“We made no preparations to welcome Ramadan as a result of now we have been fasting for 5 months now,” stated Maha, a mom of 5, who would usually have crammed her dwelling with decorations and stocked her fridge with provides for the night Iftar celebrations when folks break their quick.
“There isn’t a meals, we solely have some canned meals and rice, a lot of the meals objects are being offered for imaginary excessive costs,” she stated by way of chat app from Rafah, the place she is sheltering along with her household.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee company UNRWA, stated in a submit on X that the month of Ramadan ought to “deliver a ceasefire for individuals who have suffered probably the most” however as a substitute for Gazans “it comes as excessive starvation spreads, displacement continues & concern + nervousness prevail amid threats of a army operation on #Rafah.”
Within the southern Gaza city of Al-Mawasi, Palestinian well being officers stated 13 folks have been killed in an Israeli army strike on a tented space the place hundreds of displaced folks have been taking shelter.
There was no quick Israeli remark.
Within the West Financial institution, which has seen report violence for greater than two years and an extra surge for the reason that conflict in Gaza, the stakes are additionally excessive, with Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and different risky cities braced for additional clashes.
In Israel, fears of automobile ramming or stabbing assaults by Palestinians have additionally led to heightened safety preparations.
For a lot of Gazans, there may be little various however to hope for peace.
“Ramadan is a blessed month regardless of the actual fact this 12 months just isn’t like yearly, however we’re steadfast and affected person, and we are going to welcome the month of Ramadan as standard, with decorations, songs, with prayers, fasting,” stated Nehad El-Jed, who was displaced along with her household in Gaza.
“Subsequent Ramadan, we want for Gaza to come back again, hopefully all of the destruction and the siege in Gaza will change, and all will come again in a greater situation.”