US President Joe Biden has raised skepticism regarding a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, likely to begin on either Sunday or Monday evening.

“It’s looking tough,” Biden told reporters, after talks over a six-week cease-fire broke down a day earlier, despite previous optimism.

When asked about the possibility of violence in east Jerusalem during the holy month, Biden said “I sure am” worried.

After Israel’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem would be further restricted during Ramadan, the Palestinian militant group Hamas called on Palestinians to march to the mosque. The mosque compound is of great religious significance to both Muslims and Jews and has regularly been the scene of violent clashes. Israeli security forces warned against the new restrictions saying they would only increase tensions and several days ago, the Israeli government decided against them.

Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by several countries, including Israel, the US and Germany.

Meanwhile Biden’s growing impatience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was revealed during a conversation with a senator. At the time, Biden was still being recorded by a microphone — a so called “hot mic.”

Biden was heard saying: “I told him, ‘Bibi,’ — and don’t repeat this — ‘but you and I are going to have a come to Jesus meeting’.” Bibi is Netanyahu’s nickname.

The American expression, “come to Jesus” refers to a dramatic realization that one must correct course.

The US president was then warned that his microphone remained on.

In his key State of the Union speech, Biden called on Israeli leadership to refrain from using aid to Gaza as a “bargaining chip.”

rmt/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)