Hamas threatens Israel over extremists’ plans for Passover sacrifice on Temple Mount

The Hamas terror group on Wednesday threatened Israel over plans by Jewish activists to conduct ritual sacrifices on Jerusalem’s flashpoint Temple Mount, saying it would not allow it “at any cost,” and Gazan terror factions were set to convene to discuss a unified response to the alleged “aggressions.”

Israeli authorities vowed to stop any attempts to bring sacrificial animals to the complex, as they have in years past.

The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, is Judaism’s holiest site and Islam’s third holiest. Jews are allowed to visit the compound, but not pray or perform religious rituals, as part of a delicate status quo.

This year’s would-be sacrificers’ campaign has gained enormous traction in Palestinian and Arab media following the social media post offering cash prizes for those arrested in the act. The Returning to the Mount extremist group announced on Facebook Monday that it would be offering a cash prize to those who manage to sacrifice a lamb on the Temple Mount, and to anyone arrested trying to do so

The post drew threats from Hamas and condemnation from Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.