National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks following the announcement of exit polls in Israel’s general election, at his party headquarters in Jerusalem November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

i24News – Reports said on Monday that Hamas warned Egyptian, UN mediators against Israel’s new National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir plans to visit the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem this week, which he has previously denied.

Sources told Al Mayadeen that the Palestinian military group “relayed strongly-worded messages” to Cairo and Brussels threatening “explosive violence” in response to Ben-Gvir’s potential visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque. Earlier on Sunday, the incoming minister denied he will ascend the holy site this week.

His statement came after Hebrew media had reported that Ben-Gvir had informed Israeli police of his intentions to visit the flashpoint holy site.

The report from Israel’s Kan came just hours after Ben-Gvir took the reigns of the newly created position, saying in his inauguration speech that he would take a tough stance against Palestinian terrorism. His previous trips up to the Temple Mount — a holy site revered by both Jews and Muslims — had sparked controversy and threats from various Palestinian militant factions in Gaza and the West Bank.

Last week, Ben-Gvir said that he planned to visit the Temple Mount as a minister in the government just as he did before. He told Kan that he “obviously” would continue with the visits. He said that he was against “racism” at the holy site, in reference to the status quo that allows for freedom of worship for Muslims but prohibits Jews from praying.

Ben-Gvir advocates changing the status quo on the Temple Mount to allow for more freedoms for Jewish worshippers. This has prompted Netanyahu to assure foreign allies that the status quo would not change. The “status quo” is based on an agreement reached after the 1967 Six-Day War that handed control of the site to the Muslim Waqf, a Jordanian religious trust.

In an interview last Wednesday, Jordan’s King Abdullah warned the new Israeli government against crossing “red lines” around holy sites.