Ben-Gvir's Al-Aqsa Visit Sparks Controversy

Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, sparking tensions and condemnation from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry. The ministry described the visit as a "provocative intrusion". Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist and settler movement champion, claimed he went to pray for the return of Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, but also expressed his support for the Israeli prime minister's resistance to international pressure to sign a ceasefire deal. The visit was recorded on footage, with Ben-Gvir stating that he is "praying and working hard" for the prime minister to resist such pressure.