Israel to put security limits on Ramadan prayers at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque

Israel will restrict some access for Muslim worshippers to Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque during the upcoming Ramadan holy month according to security needs, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Monday.

The Hamas militant group, Israel's main enemy in the Gaza war, denounced the proposed restrictions and called on Palestinians to mobilise against them.

Al Aqsa, one of the holiest sites in the world for Muslims, sits on a hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City at a location also revered by Jews as the site of their temples of biblical times. Rules about access to the site have been a frequent source of tension, particularly during holidays including Ramadan, which begins this year on or around March 10.

Asked about the possibility of blocking access for Israeli Muslims to Al Aqsa, Netanyahu's office said: "The prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs determined by professionals."

It gave no further details.

Public Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right coalition partner in Netanyahu's government, said those who hate Israel would use the event to show support for the Hamas leadership and incite violence.

"The entry of tens of thousands of haters in a victory celebration on the Temple Mount is a security threat to Israel," Ben Gvir said.

Hamas called the proposed restrictions "a continuation of Zionist criminality and religious warfare led by the extremist settlers group in the terrorist occupation government against our Palestinian people".

The group called on Palestinians in Israel, Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank to "reject this criminal decision, resist the occupation’s arrogance and insolence, and mobilise to stand firm and steadfast in Al Aqsa Mosque."

Reuters