Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip during a visit to Jerusalem’s flashpoint Temple Mount on Sunday.
In a video message published during his visit, Ben-Gvir referenced footage released on Saturday of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, which he said was being used by Hamas to exert pressure on Israel.
In response, he said Israel should “occupy the entire Gaza Strip today and declare full sovereignty,” adding that the Palestinian population should be “encouraged to emigrate voluntarily.”
Israel has frequently faced accusations from critics of pursuing what they describe as a policy of “ethnic cleansing” in the Gaza Strip — charges the Israeli government denies.
Ben-Gvir’s appearance on the Temple Mount coincided with Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of fasting and mourning that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in ancient Jerusalem.
During his visit, the minister was seen praying.
The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, making it the third holiest site in Islam. For Jews, it is revered as the location of the destroyed biblical temples.
The compound is administered by Muslim religious authorities, while Israel maintains security control. Under a long-standing arrangement, non-Muslims are permitted to visit the site but not to pray there.
However, this policy is frequently challenged by Jewish nationalist figures, including Ben-Gvir.
Such visits are often viewed as provocations by Palestinians, who see them as part of broader Israeli attempts to assert control over the contested site in Jerusalem’s Old City.