Israeli army has tightened in the West Bank amid growing tension over an ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has been under air and naval attacks for the last 12 days.

Israeli forces tightened security measures at checkpoints linking the West Bank and East Jerusalem ahead of the Friday weekly prayers, eyewitnesses said.

Israeli authorities have banned male worshippers under 50 and women under 40 from crossing into East Jerusalem for prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli officials could not be reached for comment.

For the last two weeks, Israeli authorities restricted access of Palestinians from the West Bank into East Jerusalem for the weekly Friday prayers.

The restrictions come as Israeli forces continued their ground assault on the Gaza Strip following eleven days of air and naval bombardment.

At least 260 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1980 injured in relentless Israeli attacks since July 7.

Gaza-based resistance factions, for their part, have continued to fire rockets at Israel - some of which have reached Tel Aviv.

Israel's military operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the Israeli state's third major offensive against the embattled Gaza Strip-home to some 1.8 million Palestinians-in the last six years.