Hamas urged Palestinians on Wednesday to march to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque at the start of Ramadan next month, boosting the stakes in discussions for a Gaza truce, which US President Joe Biden hopes to have in place by then.
The statement by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh came after Biden said on Tuesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a deal in principle for a ceasefire during Ramadan while captives held by militants were released.
Biden said he believed such an arrangement, which a source said would also allow more aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave and result in the release of Palestinian prisoners, could be reached by March 4. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is slated to start in the evening. Both Israel and Hamas have played down the prospects for a truce and Qatari mediators have said the most contentious issues are still unresolved.
