Jerusalem and West Bank on edge after outbreak of violence

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant instructed the military to prepare for new strikes in the Gaza Strip “if necessary”

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Israel’s defence minister has signalled that the military would stop its air strikes if Palestinian militant groups halted rocket attacks, a day after the deadliest Israeli raid in decades raised the prospect of a major flare-up in fighting.

After a limited exchange of Palestinian rockets and Israeli air strikes on Gaza overnight, residents of Jerusalem were on edge on Friday morning as they waited to see what comes next.