Israel clamps down on West Bank, Jerusalem mosques

Israel clamps down on West Bank, Jerusalem mosques
Story Highlights
Men younger than 50 barred from Jerusalem mosques

West Bank border crossings closed until Saturday; few protests seen

Overnight airstrikes hit Gaza mosque, Hamas military headquarters

Foreigners gather at crossing to get out of Gaza

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel barred men younger than 50 from entering Jerusalem mosques for Friday prayers and closed West Bank border crossings in hopes of preventing protests or violence over its bombing campaign in Gaza.
The assault continued for a seventh day Friday after overnight airstrikes on a mosque, the Hamas military headquarters and other targets.
One person was killed in the raids. Palestinian medical sources said at least 421 people have been killed in Gaza since the Israeli raids began Saturday, and 2,220 people have been wounded.
Despite a call by Hamas leaders for "a day of rage" against Israel, only a few demonstrators threw rocks at police or staged protests after prayers ended at the al Aqsa mosque in the old city of Jerusalem.
Thousands of police officers patrolled the streets of the old city and east Jerusalem. Only Palestinian men over 50 who held Israeli-issued identity cards were allowed inside mosques to pray. No such restrictions applied to women.
Concern over potential attacks prompted Israel to close all entry points from the West Bank until Saturday night.
The Defense Ministry said it would consider allowing passage for "those in need of humanitarian or medical aid as well as other specific incidents."
Several hundred foreigners trapped inside Gaza when border crossings were closed last week lined up to exit into Israel on Friday, while more trucks filled with humanitarian aid were allowed to enter Gaza.
Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians crowded outside the bombed mosque in Gaza's Jabalya refugee camp for the funeral procession of Nizar Rayan, a Hamas commander killed in a Thursday airstrike on his home. Watch what Rayan's death means to Hamas »
"The mosque was used as a storage site for a large amount of Grad missiles, Qassam rockets and additional weaponry," an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said. "The strike set off a lengthy series of secondary explosions and a large fire, caused by the ammunitions stockpiled in the mosque."
An IDF statement said it "will not hesitate to strike those involved in terrorism against the citizens of the state of Israel, even if they deliberately choose to operate from locations of religious or cultural significance." Watch how missiles terrorize Israeli towns »
At least 20 Hamas-launched rockets landed in the southern Israel Friday. Israeli officials said four Israelis -- three of them civilians -- have died in the past week from Palestinian rocket fire, and 57 have been wounded.
The IDF spokesman said Israeli jets attacked the rocket launchers that fired rockets toward Ashkelon Friday morning.
Palestinian television station Ramattan broadcast video of a Gaza chicken farm it said was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike Friday morning.