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Israeli police on alert before Palestinian teenager's funeral Israeli police on alert before Palestinian teenager's funeral
(about 1 hour later)
Israeli police flooded east Jerusalem before the funeral of a Palestinian teenager believed killed by Israelis and the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israeli police flooded East Jerusalem before the funeral of a Palestinian teenager believed killed by Israelis and the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Mohamed Abu Khdeir, 16, who was kidnapped and found dead on Wednesday, was to be buried in east Jerusalem's Shuafat neighbourhood after the midday prayers, with tensions running high after two days of violence. Mohamed Abu Khdeir, 16, who was kidnapped and found dead on Wednesday, was to be buried in East Jerusalem's Shuafat neighbourhood after the midday prayers, with tensions running high after two days of violence.
Media reports spoke of a possible truce in the making after a week of militant rocket fire into southern Israel and retaliatory air strikes against Gaza.Media reports spoke of a possible truce in the making after a week of militant rocket fire into southern Israel and retaliatory air strikes against Gaza.
There were no official statements from Israel or from Hamas in Gaza, and the army reported that four rockets were fired at Israel on Friday morning, with one intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system and at least two hitting open ground. Palestinian media in Gaza reported that senior Hamas officials had offered to end rocket attacks if Israel halted air strikes on the strip, while sources told the BBC that a truce would be announced "within hours".
An Israeli police statement said thousands of police were deployed in east Jerusalem to maintain security. Tens of thousands of worshippers were expected to head for Al-Aqsa mosque complex for the main weekly prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan. The Israeli Defence Forces said 40 rockets were fired into Israel's south from Gaza on Thursday. An Israeli air strike was reported at just after midnight.
Sources in Gaza said there had been no exchange of fire by either side since 2am – a significant halt given the almost continuous rocket attacks and retaliatory Israeli air strikes over the past two weeks. Neither Hamas nor the Israeli military responded for requests for comment on Friday.
An Israeli police statement said thousands of police were deployed in East Jerusalem to maintain security before Abu Khdeir's funeral. Tens of thousands of worshippers were expected to head for the Al-Aqsa mosque complex for the main weekly prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that following a late-night assessment, commanders decided to limit access by men to the complex to those over 50 years of age. There were no restrictions on women, he said.Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that following a late-night assessment, commanders decided to limit access by men to the complex to those over 50 years of age. There were no restrictions on women, he said.
After the prayers, Abu Khdeir's funeral was to be held in Shuafat, a day later than originally planned after his body was held so that pathologists could complete a postmortem. Abu Khdeir's funeral was delayed by a day after his body was held so that pathologists could complete a postmortem. Many believe he was killed in revenge for the abduction and murder in the occupied West Bank last month of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were found on Monday.
Many believe he was killed in revenge for the abduction and murder in the occupied West Bank last month of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were found on Monday. Israeli police say the motive for Abu Khdeir's killing is still unclear, and have not said how he died. In Shuafat and other parts of Israeli-annexed Arab East Jerusalem, Palestinians clashed with police for a second day on Thursday, hurling rocks and fireworks at Israeli police and burning tyres.
In Shuafat and other parts of Israeli-annexed Arab east Jerusalem, Palestinians clashed with police for a second straight day on Thursday, hurling rocks and fireworks at Israeli police and burning tyres. The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, did not rule out a military operation against Gaza. "One possibility is that the fire will stop and the quiet continues," he said. "The other is that the fire continues and then the increased forces that are in the south will act forcefully. The safety of our citizens is first and foremost."
On Thursday, Israel warned Hamas to put a stop to rocket fire from Gaza, and sent army reinforcements to its Gaza border. But it also offered to de-escalate if the Islamist movement would do the same. Although rightwingers in Israel have supported military action in Gaza – with some even advocating a re-occupation of the strip – there are suggestions that Netanyahu is reluctant to be drawn into another open conflict with Hamas.
"We are prepared for two possibilities in the south," army radio quoted the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, as saying at a reception at the US ambassador's residence.
"That the fire at our communities will stop and our activities will also stop, or that the fire at our residents of the south will continue and then the reinforced troops which are in place will act forcefully."