Hamas is trying to incite a regional escalation during the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, according to a joint statement released by Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and the Prime Minister’s office on Saturday.

Mossad head David Barnea met with CIA Director William Burns in Amman, Jordan on Friday, according to the statement, which described the encounter as part of a “relentless” effort to secure the release of the 134 Israelis still being held captive by Hamas.

“It should be emphasized that the contacts and cooperation with the mediators are ongoing in an effort to narrow the gaps and advance agreements,” the statement concluded.

US President Joe Biden dispatched Burns to the Middle East region in a last-ditch effort to secure a deal before the month-long Muslim holiday kicks off on Sunday evening. The CIA chief was in Cairo and Doha to meet with the other two intermediaries.

Burns was not expected to travel to Israel during his diplomatic swing through the region and is scheduled to testify before the US Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday for its annual hearing on worldwide threats.

The Biden administration has been pushing for a six-week pause in fighting, in the hope that the temporary truce can be made permanent. However, Jerusalem has repeatedly called Hamas’s conditions, including ending the war and withdrawing IDF troops from Gaza, as “delusional.”

“We’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks. It would get the hostages home, ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward something more enduring,” Biden said during his March 7 State of the Union address.

The US president also announced the establishment of a temporary seaport for humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.

In recent months, American, Egyptian, Israel and Qatari mediators have met in Cairo, Doha and Paris to attempt to hammer out a ceasefire, but to no avail.

Hamas has been clear about its intentions regarding Ramadan for several weeks.

Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based leader of Hamas’s political wing, last month urged the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” to step up attacks on Israel during the holiday, calling for a “broad and international movement to break the siege on Al-Aqsa mosque” in Jerusalem.

“Any flexibility in negotiations, out of concern for the blood of our people, is matched by a readiness to defend it,” said Haniyeh, referring to ongoing ceasefire talks.

The “Axis of Resistance” includes Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the Middle East.

The terror leader also called on Palestinians in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to storm the Al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount on the first day of Ramadan.

Haniyeh’s comments came a day after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that terrorist groups are plotting to increase violent attacks on the Jewish state during Ramadan.

“The main goal of Hamas is to take Ramadan, with an emphasis on the Temple Mount and Jerusalem, and turn it into the second phase of their plan that began on Oct. 7. This is the main goal of Hamas, and it is being amplified by Iran and Hezbollah,” said Gallant.

“We must not give Hamas what it failed to achieve during the beginning of the war and [let it achieve] ‘unity of the fronts,’” he added, in reference to the terrorist group’s attempts to spark a multi-front war.

Israel’s National Security Council last week issued a travel warning for citizens during Ramadan.

Citing an increase in incitement to commit terrorist attacks, the NSC called on travelers to “take responsibility” and act in accordance with travel advisories.

“Muslim terrorist organizations see Ramadan as an opportunity to carry out terrorist attacks and acts of violence. During this period, the incitement and calls by elements of radical Islam (with an emphasis on global jihad organizations such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda) to carry out attacks are increasing,” the statement read.

According to the NSC, terrorist organizations are expected to exploit the war and tensions around the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to foment attacks against Israeli and Western interest abroad.

The NSC emphasized that the travel alert has not been raised for Ramadan, but stressed the need for members of the public to exercise caution and use good judgment.