Israeli security forces are on alert of possible Palestinian militant attacks, Israel Radio reported on Friday.

The radio quoted intelligence officers as saying that they were examining 19 warnings of possible attacks on Friday.

In light of the attack threat, Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz has ordered stepped-up security measures on buses.

Meanwhile, Israeli police in Jerusalem, fearing possible violence in the sensitive Old City, were restricting the entry of Palestinians to the Temple Mount, said the report.

The Temple Mount, or the Haram al-Sharif as it is called by Muslims which means noble sanctuary, is holy to both Jews and Muslims.

Palestinian men younger than 45 were blocked from attending prayer there and those at 45 and older were only allowed to enter if they had Israeli identity cards, according to the report.

There was no restriction on the entry of Palestinian women yet.

The Israeli security build-up came following fierce confrontations between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants in Gaza on Thursday, the most bloodiest single day since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip last summer after 38 years of occupation.

About 19 Palestinians including civilians and one Israeli soldier were killed in Thursday's violence as Israeli troops expanded a broad ground offensive in Gaza to free an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants and stop Palestinian militant rocket firing.

Source: Xinhua