According to reports, Ben-Gvir is said to have prayed for "the safety of our soldiers, the return of hostages, and a complete victory in the war."
The visit to the sensitive site, which is sacred to several religions, risks disrupting the ongoing talks about a ceasefire in Gaza.
An agreement between Israel and Hamas was previously reported to be imminent. The far-right minister's visit can therefore be seen as a clear provocation and a way to sabotage an agreement.
In August this year, Ben-Gvir led supporters in prayer through the holy area, where both the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are located. The visit was met with strong condemnations from both the UN and the EU and the USA. Even his boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a sharp rebuke – but no more than that.
Both Muslims and Jews claim the area on a hill in Jerusalem's Old City.
Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the area – which in Arabic is called Al-Haram al-Sharif – at certain times, but they are not allowed to pray or display religious symbols.
In recent years, the restrictions have increasingly been ignored by religious nationalists like Ben-Gvir, which has sometimes led to violent reactions from Palestinians.
