The US government has warned Americans to defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, saying there was a strong chance of more terrorists acts in the region.
The updated travel warning follows Palestinian suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Haifa, Israel last weekend that killed 25 people. Israel has responded with air strikes against Palestinian Authority sites in Gaza and the West Bank.
Ongoing violence has caused numerous civilian deaths and injuries, including to some American tourists. The potential for further terrorist acts remains high, the State Department said in a notice posted on its website: www.state.gov.
The travel warning updates a similar one issued by the department on August 10 last.
However, the latest warning is more specific about the likelihood violence and urges Americans to restrict their travel in at specific locations in Israel to certain hours.
For Americans already in Israel, the State Department said they should limit their travel to the Old City of Jerusalem to daylight hours, between Saturday and Thursday.
As with the August warning, the agency said Americans should avoid restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, malls, public buses and bus stops.
The situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains extremely volatile with continuing confrontations and clashes, the statement said.