At least 20 Palestinians, including 9 children, have been killed by a series of Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, according to the latest reports from Palestinian health ministry.

Eyewitnesses said the strikes hit crowded neighbourhoods, killing numerous civilians. Two of them were children from the al-Masri family in Beit Hanoun:Ibrahim, 11, and Marwan, 7.

"My children were martyred. I cannot find any justification whatsoever for targeting someone passing through overcrowded civilian neighbourhoods where dozens of children usually play," said their father, Youssef al-Masri.

'It was a nightmare': Israeli air strikes kill 20 in Gaza 

Continued attacks on al-Aqsa could fall foul of international laws to protect cultural sites during armed conflicts. 

The Rome Statute of 1998, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, declared that anyone "intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes [or] historic monuments" was committing a war crime.

The 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention both also could cover the attacks, as examined by MEE here:

How Israeli raid on al-Aqsa Mosque could constitute a war crime

The Palestinian Red Crescent has reported dozens of injuries as Palestinian protesters confront Israeli forces across the occupied West Bank. 

One person was wounded by live fire in the northern West Bank town of Jenin and another at Qalandia, just north of Jerusalem. 

There have been at least 12 injuries from rubber-coated bullets and dozens from tear gas inhalation in Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Tulkarem, Qalqilya and Tubas. 

More protesters have been injured inside the courtyards of al-Aqsa after Israeli forces renewed their raids on the complex at night. 

The injured were carried away for treatment while the stun grenades exploded around the Qibli mosque in al-Aqsa. 

Al Jazeera reported that around 500 worshippers were trapped inside the mosque while running from Israeli forces. 

Translation: The situation is very serious inside the courtyards and prayer spaces of al-Aqsa mosque as the number of injuries rise and dozens of stun grenades and rubber coated bullets are thrown at the worshippers

US House member Ilhan Omar has condemned Israel's air strikes on Gaza as terrorism, saying it would be "unconscionable to not condemn" them, as much of Washington stays silent. 

"Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism," Omar said in a post on Twitter. 

"Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians," she continued. 

Spokespeople from the White House and State Department both held briefings following Israel's air strikes, but failed to mention the deadly attacks, instead condemning the Hamas movement for earlier missile launches, which caused one moderate injury. 

Evening prayers at al-Aqsa continued with the sound of grenades reverberating in the background.

MEE’s correspondent Latifeh Abdellatif reported minor confrontations taking place inside the complex.

A heavy Israeli police presence was felt in the area, surrounding worshippers as they prayed during the 29th of Ramadan, a highly revered night for Muslims.

An air of anxiety continues throughout the night. Abdellatif said two young Palestinians were injured by Israeli police using force against the protesters.

Bouts of unrest were also witnessed across many parts of the occupied West Bank on Monday evening.

In Qalandia, a Palestinian neighbourhood north of Jerusalem, tear gas was fired at local residents by Israeli forces. Many people are suffering from smoke inhalation as a result of roadside fires that have broken out, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

In Nablus, large crowds gathered to protest against the ongoing violence across Palestinian cities today, with a heavy police presence in the area.

State Department Spokesman Ned Price condemned the Hamas movement for shooting several missiles into Israel earlier on Monday, but failed to mention Israel's deadly air strikes in the Gaza Strip, which killed at least 20 people, including nine children. 

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the barrage of rocket attacks fired into Israel in recent hours. This is an unacceptable escalation," Price said during a news briefing. "While we urge de-escalation on all sides, we also recognise Israel's legitimate right to defend itself and to defend its people and its territory." 

Price went on to say that "self-defence often does authorise the use of force", but refused to acknowledge whether Palestinians also have a right to self-defence.

He also declined to explicitly say that the US is calling on Israel to halt evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, instead reiterating "concerns". 

'Self-defence often does authorise the use of force'

- US State Department Spokesman Ned Price

During the briefing, he called for "all sides" to "ensure calm and de-escalate tensions and avoid violent confrontations".

"The United States will remain fully engaged, to promote calm in Jerusalem, and we welcome the steps the Israeli government has taken in recent days aimed at avoiding provocations, including the decision to avoid confrontations during the Jerusalem Day commemoration, and the delay in the decision regarding the Sheikh Jarrah evictions," he said.

Asked whether he agrees with Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib's description of the displacement campaign as ethnic cleansing, Price said: "When it comes to the terminologies, that's nothing that we have used before, that's not something that our analysis supports."

The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza has risen to 20, including nine children, the Palestinian health ministry said. 

It said its emergency operations room has put hospitals, ambulances and emergency services on alert. 

A tree briefly caught fire in the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque after it was hit by a firework aimed at Israeli police.

MEE correspondent Sara Dajani reporting from al-Aqsa said Israeli police fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at protesters inside the complex.

Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani, director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urged people not to confront Israeli police and to maintain a barrier between them, Dajani added.

Hundreds of nationalist Israeli youth gathered at the Western Wall to mark Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of Israel's victory in the 1967 war.

Crowds made their way into the plaza after a march through parts of Jerusalem's Old City, under the protection of Israeli police.

The celebrations are seen as highly provocative, particularly as tensions have been high in recent days as a number of Palestinian families of the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem face eviction. 

A tense atmosphere has gripped the region, particularly after Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque this morning, using snipers and tear gas.

According to the Palestine Red Crescent, hundreds of people were injured and dozens hospitalised.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said US President Joe Biden is being updated frequently about recent events taking place in Jerusalem and Gaza, noting "serious concerns about the situation". 

Israel tells US: 'Stay out of Jerusalem'

Read More »

"On a call over the weekend with his Israeli counterpart, our National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reiterated concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes, and they agreed that the launching of rocket attacks and incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel is unacceptable, and must be condemned," Psaki said during a news conference on Monday. 

"So this is something that our national security team is closely monitoring, obviously across government," she continued. "Certainly the president is kept abreast and is watching closely as well." 

Earlier on Monday it was reported that Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat has told Sullivan, his US counterpart, to stay out of the Jerusalem crisis. 

In a readout of the call, the US national security adviser stressed Washington's "commitment to Israel’s security and to supporting peace and stability throughout the Middle East" and that it would be engaged to promote calm in Jerusalem.

Witnesses interviewed by TV channel al-Araby denied Israeli air strikes on Gaza targeted fighters. They said they were waiting to break their fasts when the missiles hit. 

"They hit us while we were sitting without any idea. They're all children, children they killed," said one of the men interviewed by the channel. 

The Israeli military has released footage of an air strike it carried out on a building in Gaza, claiming it killed three Hamas fighters. 

The Palestinian health ministry, however, has reported that at least three children have been killed. 

Translation: The elimination of a cell that included three terrorists from Hamas who were involved in terrorist activists in the northern Gaza Strip. 

The Gaza health ministry said nine Palestinians, including three children, have been killed in Israeli bombing on the besieged enclave. Israel began bombing Gaza soon after rockets were fired out of the strip.

There are also several wounded, the ministry added, and they have been taken to Beit Hanoun Hospital in northern Gaza.

MEE's Lubna Masarwa is at the Jaffa Gate, where rocket fire has not stopped nationalist Israeli youth from massing.

Police have attempted to disperse them, and are blocking their entry into the Old City. Masarwa says people are keen on pressing ahead with the march towards the Western Wall.

Follow live footage from the Jaffa Gate here: