Arab nations condemn Israeli minister's storming of Al Aqsa

GAZA STRIP: Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir prompted strong condemnation from Arab nations and Hamas on Wednesday with his latest visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City.

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The Saudi foreign ministry expressed in a statement its "strongest condemnation" of the "storming" of the compound by Ben Gvir.

Egypt also expressed "its total condemnation and denunciation" of Ben Gvir's "storming of the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli police".

Jordan, the custodian of the site, condemned Wednesday's visit as a "storming" and "an unacceptable provocation" in a foreign ministry statement.

Hamas called it a "provocative and dangerous escalation", saying the visit was "part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people".

"We call on our Palestinian people and our youth in the West Bank to escalate their confrontation... in defence of our land and our sanctities, foremost among them the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque," it said in a statement.

Turkey on Wednesday condemned the visit, saying it would raise regional tensions.

"We condemntheraid by a member of the Israeli government on the Al Aqsa Mosque compound today," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This action by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's accomplices is a dangerous decision that will again aggravate tensions in the region."