The Israeli occupation is attempting to link the blessed month of Ramadan with what it describes as a “rise in violence and terrorism” by Palestinians, portraying it as an “Islamic month that incites violence and hatred”. At the same time, its media apparatus intensifies the promotion of propaganda content claiming coexistence, tolerance and acceptance of others.
Since its establishment, the occupation has deliberately escalated its violations and crimes against the Palestinian people during Ramadan. Last Ramadan marked one of the most severe examples, when Israel resumed its war of genocide on 17 March 2025, which also coincided with the 17th of Ramadan the previous year.
Broad Incitement and Security Measures
A report by the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth stated that, “as Ramadan approaches, the Israeli security establishment is completing extensive preparations in Jerusalem, amid the ongoing war and security tensions in the West Bank, and concerns over a rise in Palestinian violence around friction points in the Old City and the Temple Mount”, referring to the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque.
The report added: “One of the central issues during Ramadan is the entry of worshippers from the West Bank into Jerusalem, where security agencies have recommended imposing restrictions on age and numbers, particularly on Fridays when tens of thousands are expected to arrive at the Temple Mount.”
It further stated: “Police say the goal is to reduce risks and prevent overcrowding from turning into disorder, alongside carrying out arrests in East Jerusalem on charges of incitement, monitoring social media networks, and operating a 24 hour operations room to track calls for violence or the organisation of exceptional gatherings.”
The report explained: “Preparations include closing what police describe as ‘gaps’ used by illegal residents. Traffic routes in northern Jerusalem near the separation wall in the Al Bareed suburb adjacent to Beit Hanina have been closed, an area from which attackers previously infiltrated. Border Police forces are deployed around the clock to conduct patrols, ambushes and vehicle inspections, in what police describe as a pre emptive step to prevent infiltration during the sensitive days of Ramadan.”
It also noted that the new Jerusalem district commander is expected to continue implementing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s policy of enforcing home demolition orders in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods, while maintaining security during demolition operations throughout the month.
The report claimed that the “Yasam” unit attached to the Jerusalem district, responsible for handling unrest in Jerusalem and the Old City, faces a severe manpower shortage during a sensitive period. Police are attempting to fill the gap through reinforcements from other districts and the mobilisation of reserve forces, while acknowledging that “the operational challenge is not simple given the possibility of escalating disturbances during Ramadan”.
The occupation announced that these “preparations” extend beyond the police to include the army, which is reinforcing the seam line and conducting what it calls “preventive operations in the West Bank to stop escalation from reaching Jerusalem”.
Within the prison service, a “high alert status in security prisons” was declared. The head of the operations division stated that “this Ramadan is the first without release deals, which increases challenges”.
It was noted that “no central prayers will be held inside prisons”. A motorcycle unit was established within the “Nachshon” unit for rapid response to any unrest, escorting high classification security detainees and securing convoy movements. A joint drill was also conducted at Ofer Prison, with a clear warning against testing the readiness of forces.
In a separate report by the right wing Israeli website Srugim, reference was made to what it described as the “political and religious exploitation” of Ramadan by Hamas and “other extremist groups”. It claimed that “instead of focusing on devotional rituals, explicit calls are being monitored on social media platforms urging the killing and targeting of Israelis”.
The report added that “Hamas promotes rhetoric that views killing as a means of drawing closer to God during the holy month, turning the religious occasion into a platform for incitement to terrorism and uprising”.
It further explained that Israeli intelligence places special importance on the last ten days of Ramadan, particularly Laylat al Qadr, suggesting that there are attempts to transform the night from a time of prayer and self accountability into one of unrest and disturbances.
The report indicated that security agencies consider this period the most susceptible to widespread unrest, requiring close monitoring and heavy security presence to prevent large religious gatherings from becoming flashpoints of violent confrontation.
Israeli Massacres During Ramadan
On 17 March 2025, the Israeli occupation resumed its large scale aggression against the Gaza Strip at approximately 2 am local time, as residents were preparing to begin fasting the following day and preparing suhoor.
The extensive airstrikes and massacres resulted in the martyrdom of more than 413 people, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The attacks coincided with widespread disruptions to communications and internet services in parts of the Strip.
The occupation army claimed the attack was part of a broader strategy to weaken Hamas and its operational capabilities, stating that the strikes targeted leadership figures, mid level military commanders and Hamas operational infrastructure.
In recent years, Ramadan has repeatedly coincided with escalations in crimes against Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where the month has witnessed wars, massacres and major military operations that have left deep humanitarian scars.
In 2014, on the 10th of Ramadan corresponding to 7 July, Israel launched its aggression on Gaza under the name “Operation Protective Edge”, which lasted 51 days. More than 60,000 airstrikes were carried out and 144 massacres were committed, according to the Arab Commission for Human Rights.
Among the most notable were the Shuja’iyya massacre on 20 July, which resulted in around 74 martyrs; the UNRWA school massacre on 24 July, which killed 16 displaced civilians; and the Shuja’iyya market massacre on 30 July during a declared truce.
This was followed by the Rafah massacre on 1 August, which led to the martyrdom of more than 200 Palestinians. The war erupted after the assassination of six Hamas members and amid escalating tensions following the killing of the child Mohammed Abu Khdeir.
In 2021, the Battle of “Sword of Jerusalem” erupted on 10 May, corresponding to the 28th of Ramadan, against the backdrop of events in Sheikh Jarrah and the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque. The confrontation lasted until 21 May, resulting in around 250 Palestinian martyrs and more than 5,000 wounded, while Israel announced the killing of 12 Israelis.
That war witnessed the bombardment of large residential towers, the destruction of what was claimed to be around 100 kilometres of tunnels, and the entrenchment of a policy targeting civilian infrastructure.
On 7 October 2023, Israel’s war of genocide began, with its first phase lasting until 19 January 2025. During this period, Ramadan 2024 passed amid ongoing military operations, with more than 160,000 martyrs and wounded reported at the time, in addition to more than 14,000 missing, most of them women and children. Bombardment continued throughout both Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha.
