A far-right Israeli minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, drew international condemnation on Tuesday after praying at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed East Jerusalem, defying a longstanding ban on Jewish prayer at the site. Ben Gvir, who serves as National Security Minister, vowed to "defeat Hamas" during his visit, which comes amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Al-Aqsa compound, Islam's third holiest site, is also revered by Jews as the location of the ancient temple destroyed in 70 AD. Although Jews and non-Muslims can visit during specific hours, prayer is prohibited.

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Ben Gvir, who prayed at the Al-Aqsa mosque along with thousands of Jews, sparked criticism from Muslim nations and Western powers, including the United States, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN).

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the action as a "blatant disregard" for the status quo, warning it could exacerbate tensions.

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In recent years, hardline religious nationalists have increasingly flouted restrictions at the site, leading to confrontations. On Tuesday, Ben Gvir and over 2,000 Israelis visited the compound under police protection, according to the Waqf, the Jordanian body overseeing the site. Jordan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the incident.

Al-Aqsa Connection With Oct 7 Attacks

All hell broke loose in Israel on October 7, 2023, after Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out a surprise rampage into Israeli territory from all directions and began what it called ‘Operation Al Aqsa Flood’ against the country, sparking the deadliest conflict between the two sides.

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The surprise attack or incursion by Hamas snowballed into a major escalation, with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially declaring "war” later, followed by the country “eliminating” terror targets of Hamas in Gaza strip.

What Happened on October 7: Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States, infiltrated from the Gaza Strip into bordering areas in Israel under what the outfit later termed was ‘Operation Al Aqsa Flood’.

Many purported videos on the internet showed Hamas entering Israel in vehicles like pickup trucks, boats, and even with motorised paragliders to breach the security barrier and attack Israeli towns, residents, and military posts.

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This escalated into a full-blown war between the two sides after Israel’s Netanyahu vowed to exact a price for the October 7 massacre.

How Al Aqsa Was Linked To Oct 7 Attack: While there have been smaller conflicts between Hamas and Israelis, there were no major engagements between the two sides since the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis. Some reports cited anonymous sources close to Hamas, claiming that the outfit reduced military activity in a bid to deceive Israel into believing Hamas was not a threat.

Mohammed Deif, commander of the attack, named the operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" in reference to the 2022 Al-Aqsa clashes, in which Israeli police raided the mosque at the disputed Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem following clashes between Palestinians and police.