National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir referred to the incident where worshipers bowed on the Temple Mount against the holy site's rules, saying, "Our policy is to allow prayer." According to him, "We come on Tisha B'Av to commemorate the destruction of the Temple. We must say honestly there is great progress here in exercising our sovereignty." He added: "We must win this war, and not go to conferences in Doha or Cairo, but defeat them, bring them to their knees. This is the message. We can defeat Hamas."