Israel warns it is 'ready' for anyone who might 'try us' as Ramadan begins amid heightened security at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa holy site

Israel's defence minister said on Monday that authorities would respect freedom of worship during Ramadan but were 'ready' for anyone who might 'try us'.

'The State of Israel respects the freedom of worship at Al-Aqsa and all holy places,' Yoav Gallant said in a video message, referring to the third-holiest site in Islam, located in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

'The month of Ramadan may be a month of jihad, and we say to everyone not to try us - we are ready, don't make mistakes,' he said in the clip posted on his Telegram channel.

His comments came amid concerns about tensions during Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a flashpoint for violence during the Muslim fasting month in past years. 

During Ramadan, Muslims in their tens and even hundreds of thousands pray at the compound.

On Friday a spokesman for the armed wing of the Hamas militant group called on 'our people' to mobilise and head towards Al-Aqsa.

During Ramadan, Muslims in their tens and even hundreds of thousands pray at the compound

This picture taken from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, shows smoke rising over buildings in Khan Yunis during Israeli bombardment

This year, Israel announced it would limit access during Ramadan, citing security needs with war raging in Gaza

The compound is also Judaism's most sacred site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. 

This year, Israel announced it would limit access during Ramadan, citing security needs with war raging in Gaza.

After hard-right Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said recently he wanted tougher restrictions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the numbers admitted would be similar to last year. 

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Monday restrictions imposed by Israel on Muslim worshippers' access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim fasting month was pushing the situation towards an 'explosion'.

In remarks on state media, Safadi said his country, which overviews the holy site, rejected Israel's announced move to limit access during Ramadan, citing security needs with war raging in Gaza.

'We warn that desecrating the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque is playing with fire,' Safadi said in a joint news conference with the Vatican's foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Monday restrictions imposed by Israel on Muslim worshippers' access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim fasting month was pushing the situation towards an 'explosion'

Safadi echoed the Palestinian view that such restrictions on Muslim worshippers, already facing war and hunger in Gaza, were an attack on freedom of worship

Safadi echoed the Palestinian view that such restrictions on Muslim worshippers, already facing war and hunger in Gaza, were an attack on freedom of worship.

'Not allowing worshippers to perform their religious duties and their rituals in this holy month and restricting freedom to enter the Aqsa mosque, all that pushes torwards an explosive situation which is what we are warning about,' Safadi added.

Israel was also risking wider violence in the Israeli occupied West Bank by what Safadi said were unilateral Israeli measures to change the status quo citing accelerated Jewish settlement building on Arab land and what he termed as stepped up 'terror attacks by armed settlers on Palestinian villagers.

'The West Bank is boiling,' Safadi added.

The Israeli-occupied West Bank has since the Gaza war seen a surge of confrontations, with around 400 Palestinians killed in clashes with security forces or Jewish settlers.

Most world powers view as illegal settlements Israel has built on land it captured in a 1967 war with Arab powers.

The holy month of Ramadan came at a time when Palestinians in the enclave were dying of hunger with Israel using food as a weapon of war, Safadi said.

The Israeli-occupied West Bank has since the Gaza war seen a surge of confrontations

Muslims perform tarawih prayer on the first Friday night of the Holy month of Ramadan at Masjid al-Aqsa Compound in Jerusalem

Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, now in its six month

'Ramadan comes with Gaza bombed by Israel and women unable to find food for their children and five months that have passed with the world failing to preserve human digintiy,' Safadi said.

Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, now in its six month.

The attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The militants also seized about 250 hostages, dozens of whom were released during a week-long truce in November.

Israel believes that 99 hostages still in militants' hands remain alive and 31 have died.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign to destroy Hamas has killed at least 31,112 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

Mediators had been hoping to secure a new truce before Ramadan began but so far there has been no breakthrough.