Over 150 injured in clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Clashes have broken out between Palestinians and Israeli forces at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem leaving more than 150 injured, BBC reports quoting Palestinian medics.

Israeli police said officers entered the site after coming under attack with fireworks, stones and other objects.

Three Israeli police were hurt, they said.

Israeli-Palestinian tensions have soared after deadly attacks in Israel and Palestinian deaths during Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank.

A 17-year-old Palestinian wounded on Thursday during an Israeli operation in the area of Jenin in the northern West Bank died on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

More than 20 Palestinians, many identified as gunmen, have been killed since Israel stepped upsweeps in the West Bank, centring on Jenin district after a Palestinian killed three Israelis in Tel Aviv last Thursday.

That attack was the fourth in Israel by Israeli Arabs and Palestinians in just over two weeks. The killings have left 12 Israelis and two Ukrainians dead, marking the deadliest period of attacks in Israel for more than 15 years and leaving the country on edge.

Israeli police said dozens of Palestinians, some carrying flags of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, marched on the compound at about 04:00 (01:00 GMT) then started throwing stones and fireworks.

The police said they waited until Muslim Friday prayers had ended before entering the site to disperse the rioters, who had started throwing stones towards the Western Wall below the compound, where Jewish worshippers were.

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The police tweeted video showing fireworks exploding inside the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and masked youths throwing stones towards officers.

Israel's foreign ministry tweeted video showing masked Palestinians inside the Qibli mosque (also known as al-Aqsa Mosque) throwing objects with the sound of a bang followed by a spray of sparks.

The foreign ministry denied reports on social media that police had entered the mosque building itself during the violence. Hours later footage from inside the mosque building showed Israeli police and Palestinians there with the scene calmer.