Erdogan warns against threats to Al-Aqsa in call with Israeli leader

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced sadness over the violence at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in a phone call Tuesday with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog, warning against threats to its status.

His comments came following Israeli raids on the holy site over the weekend that wounded 170 Palestinian worshippers.

The violence comes almost a year after similar tensions sparked an 11-day bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip by Israel, which killed over 250 Palestinians, including dozens of children.

The weekend of violence has further escalated tensions, with Israel carrying out its first air strike on the Gaza in months early on Tuesday, in response to a rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave.

Erdogan said on his official Twitter account he told Herzog "the fact that Al-Aqsa mosque was raided by fanatic groups after the morning prayer yesterday and the day before ... and the spread of the tension to Gaza increased our sadness."

He said that "these images which are seen every year because of some radicals hurt the consciences and cause justifiable reactions in the entire Islamic world."

Erdogan told the Israeli president: "In this sensitive period, I would like to emphasise once again the necessity of not allowing provocations and threats against the status and spirituality of Al-Aqsa mosque."

The Turkish leader repeated his call for everyone to "make the utmost effort" in order to preserve the spirituality of the holy site.

Israel and Turkey proclaimed a new era in relations following more than a decade of diplomatic rupture after Herzog made a landmark visit to Ankara in March.

Erdogan, a vocal advocate of the Palestinian cause, had in the past criticised Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.

Turkey has maintained ties with Hamas who have controlled Gaza since 2007.