Israel Palestine conflict: Israel & Hamas exchange rocket fire, weeks-long tensions soared again

Israeli Airstrike

More violence erupted again in Israel and Palestine on Monday.  Gaza health officials said at least 20 were killed, including 9 children in Israeli air strikes.

The Israeli strikes were in response to rockets fired by Hamas close to Jerusalem.  The rockets fired by Hamas were intercepted by Israel's missile defense systems.

A residential building attacked by Israeli warplanes.

The tension between Israel and Palestinian militants started last week after hundreds of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli forces in Jerusalem.

People began demonstrating against the forced evictions of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.  They were there to support families who had just lost  their house.

Last Friday Prayer of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque

On Friday evening, amid heightened tensions in Jerusalem, Israeli forces made their way into Al Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, where families gathered to break their fast for Ramadan.  Israeli police were deployed heavily as Muslims were performing evening prayers.

Israeli forces were filmed throwing stun grenades into crowds of Palestinians.  More than 200 Palestinians were injured during the violence.

Israel captured the West bank in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed East Jerusalem shortly later in a move not recognized by most of the international community.