Israel bans travels by Palestinians

srael says it will prevent tens of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank from visiting their relatives in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The decision, announced in a statement on Thursday, came after at least four Israelis were killed and several others injured during a shooting attack at a shopping center in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night.

The statement said Tel Aviv had suspended 83,000 entry permits for Palestinians during the fasting month of Ramadan and canceled its easing of security measures for the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians are particularly barred from visiting Haram al-Sharif or Temple Mount in al-Quds (Jerusalem), the statement noted.

Initial reports said the attackers in Tel Aviv were dressed as ultra-Orthodox Jews, but police later claimed they were of Palestinian origin.

Under the new measures, Israel has also frozen 204 entrance permits for Gaza-based relatives of the alleged attackers, who had planned to visit the occupied territories and holy sites.