Air raid sirens, explosions heard in Jerusalem after Hamas rocket fire

The sirens  were heard Monday, shortly after the Hamas militant group in Gaza set a deadline for Israel to remove its security forces from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The sounds of outgoing rocket fire were heard in Gaza shortly before the sirens went off.

It was not clear if the explosions were rockets landing or rocket-defense systems trying to intercept them. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Hamas said the rocket fire was in "response" to Israeli "crimes and aggression".

Israeli police fired tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets at Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, injuring hundreds.

Israeli authorities changed the planned route of a march by ultranationalist Jews through the Muslim quarter of the Old City.

But tensions remained high after Monday morning's violence against worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.

Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians in the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, with worshippers and journalists beaten by police.

The violence in Jerusalem has threatened to reverberate throughout the region.

Hamas issued an ultimatum, giving Israel until 6pm to remove its forces from the mosque compound and Sheikh Jarrah - a Jerusalem neighbourhood where Palestinian families are due to be evicted from their homes to make way for Israeli families.

They also demanded Israel release Palestinians detained in the latest clashes. It was not immediately clear what Hamas planned to do if its demands weren't met.

In response, the Israeli military announced Monday that it was closing the Erez crossing to all but humanitarian and exceptional cases until further notice.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay connected