Palestinians ready for Ramadan in sombre temper with heightened safety measures by Israeli police and the spectre of struggle and starvation in Gaza overshadowing the usually festive Muslim holy month as talks to safe a ceasefire stalled.
1000’s of police have been deployed across the slender streets of the Outdated Metropolis in Jerusalem, the place tens of 1000’s of worshippers are anticipated daily on the Al Aqsa mosque compound, one of many holiest websites in Islam.
The realm, thought-about essentially the most sacred place by Jews who understand it as Temple Mount, has been a longstanding flashpoint for bother and was one of many beginning factors of the final struggle in 2021 between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist motion that controls Gaza.
That 10-day battle has been dwarfed by the present struggle, which is now in its sixth month. It started on Oct. 7 when 1000’s of Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 individuals, by Israeli tallies.
Israel’s relentless marketing campaign in Gaza has triggered growing alarm the world over because the rising threat of famine threatens so as to add to a loss of life toll that has already handed 31,000.
After some confusion final month when hard-right Safety Minister Itamar Ben Gvir mentioned he wished restrictions on worshippers at Al Aqsa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the numbers admitted could be just like final yr.
“That is our mosque and we should handle it,” mentioned Azzam Al-Khatib, director basic of the Jerusalem Waqf, the spiritual 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 is going to start on Monday, whereas it is going to begin on Tuesday in some Arab and Muslim international locations.
In distinction to earlier years, the standard decorations across the Outdated Metropolis haven’t been put up and there was an analogous sombre tone in cities throughout the occupied West Financial institution, the place round 400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 because the begin of the Gaza struggle.
“We determined this yr that the Outdated Metropolis of Jerusalem received’t be embellished out of respect for the blood of our youngsters and the elders and the martyrs,” mentioned Ammar Sider, a neighborhood chief within the Outdated Metropolis.
Police mentioned they had been working to make sure a peaceable Ramadan and had taken further measures to crack down on what they described as provocative and distorted info on social media networks and had arrested 20 individuals 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 mentioned in an announcement.
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 known as on Palestinians to march to the mosque at first of Ramadan.
Final yr, 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 searching for to normalise 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 go peacefully and enabled the return of not less than a few of the 134 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, seem to have been disenchanted with talks in Cairo apparently stalled.
A Hamas official informed 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 dwelling below 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,” mentioned 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 individuals break their quick.
“There is no such thing as a meals, we solely have some canned meals and rice, many of the meals objects are being offered for imaginary excessive costs,” she mentioned by way of chat app from Rafah, the place she is sheltering together with her household.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Palestinian refugee company UNRWA, mentioned in a submit on X that the month of Ramadan ought to “deliver a ceasefire for individuals who have suffered essentially the most” however as an alternative 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 mentioned 13 individuals had been killed in an Israeli army strike on a tented space the place 1000’s of displaced individuals had been taking shelter.
There was no rapid Israeli remark.
Within the West Financial institution, which has seen document violence for greater than two years and an extra surge because the struggle in Gaza, the stakes are additionally excessive, with Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and different unstable 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’s little different however to hope for peace.
“Ramadan is a blessed month regardless of the very fact this yr will not be like yearly, however we’re steadfast and affected person, and we are going to welcome the month of Ramadan as typical, with decorations, songs, with prayers, fasting,” mentioned Nehad El-Jed, who was displaced together with her household in Gaza.
“Subsequent Ramadan, we want for Gaza to return again, hopefully all of the destruction and the siege in Gaza will change, and all will come again in a greater situation.”
