Ben-Gvir visits Temple Mount: Prayers for soldiers and hostages 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ascended the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Thursday morning, announcing in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the visit was to pray for Israel's soldiers and the swift return of hostages held by Hamas.

"I went up to our holy place [the Temple Mount] this morning to pray for the safety of our soldiers, for the speedy return of all those kidnapped, and for complete victory [in the war] with God's help," Ben-Gvir stated in his post.

The Prime Minister's Office released a statement following National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount, affirming that the "status quo on the Temple Mount has not changed."

Jordan's Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the visit, describing it as a "provocative, unacceptable, and denounced act" in an official statement shared on X.

Ben-Gvir's visits to the Temple Mount have drawn widespread criticism in the past, along with his statements advocating for changes to policies at the site.

In August, during the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, Ben-Gvir ascended the Temple Mount and told Army Radio that his policy was to support Jewish prayer at the revered location.

* The Jerusalem Post contributed to this article.