Israel deploys extra security in '48 Palestinian areas amid Gaza bombardment

Israel has mobilised police inside Palestinian towns within Israel's 1948 borders and stepped up security to deter protests that may take place in solidarity with Gaza, where Tel Aviv has launched a bombing campaign.

Israeli Minister of Internal Security Omer Bar-Lev on Friday signed orders to recruit and summon teams of border guards across Israel's historic Palestinian coastal cities, such as Acre, Haifa, Lod and Ramleh.

After Israel began bombing the besieged Gaza Strip on Friday - so far killing 10 people including a five-year-old girl - police raised the alert level and put border police on standby.

The security alert has been raised to Level B, the second-highest level, and police stations in Lod, Acre, Haifa and Jaffa, cities with significant Palestinian populations, have increased their recruitments.

The deployment is seen as a "lessons learned" strategy after a surge in violence when Palestinians began peaceful protests in solidarity with the bombardment of Gaza in May last year.

The protests led to counter-attacks by Israelis and increased bouts of police violence and mob attacks against Palestinians, including the lynching of a Palestinian man live on TV.

In April, Israel's army added clashes between Jewish and Palestinian citizens within the 1948 borders in its scenario planning to contain future rises in conflict.

Some of the scenarios being planned involve serious clashes in Palestinian and Jewish cities which need large police deployments.

Human rights organisations say Palestinians in Israel are disproportionately targeted by Israeli police.