ANKARA, April 7. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed concern over the escalation between Palestine and Israel following clashes in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and called on the parties to the conflict to refrain from further escalation and that the international community stand together to defend religious sites.

"Common sense must prevail to prevent another wave of escalation. The international community led by the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation must make efforts within all platforms to protect the status of religious holy sites," the Turkish president’s press service quoted Erdogan as saying during a telephone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday.

The WAFA Palestinian News Agency reported on Tuesday that Israeli law enforcement officers had broken into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and used flash bang grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets and batons. According to the Lebanese Al Mayadeen television channel, more than 400 people were detained. The Israeli police said on Wednesday that dozens of young men in masks had barricaded themselves in the Temple complex, chanting slogans and calling for riots. The police had to intervene.

The Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday that at least 34 rockets had been fired at the Israeli territory from Lebanon. Twenty-five rockets were intercepted by the Israeli air defense system. Later, it was reported that the area around the city of Metula in northern Israel had come under mortar shelling from the Lebanese territory. In response, the Israeli military shelled territories in southern Lebanon, Al Mayadeen reported. According to Israel’s Kan radio station, three HAMAS facilities were attacked in southern Lebanon and more than ten HAMAS facilities were targeted in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Friday.