Israel is preparing combat troops and is in "various stages of preparing ground operations," according to an Israeli military spokesman, a move that would recall similar incursions during the Israel-Gaza wars in 2014 and 2008-2009.

Israeli troops massed at Gaza's border on Thursday and Palestinian militants pounded Israel with rockets in intense hostilities that have caused international concern and prompted clashes between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

Days of violence between Jewish Israelis and the country's Arab minority worsened overnight, with synagogues attacked and fighting breaking out on the streets of some communities.

Israeli officials have arrested hundreds of people on rioting charges and placed the city of Lod under lockdown as violence heightens in the Gaza Strip, with Jewish and Arab mobs clashing on the streets of the country.

Since Israeli security forces raided the Al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem and forcibly evicted Palestinian families in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, the region has been wracked by a conflict that now risks descending into a war between Israel and Palestine and a civil war between Jewish and Arab Israelis.

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After days of deadly airstrikes over Israel's cities and towns, the conflict has moved to the streets, with Jewish and Arab mobs rioting and attacking shops, cars and people. 

On Wednesday night, far-right Jewish mobs reportedly took to the streets searching for Arabs. In Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, Jewish extremists dragged a man presumed to be an Arab out of his car and beat him.

The mixed Jewish-Arab city of Lod, in the central district of Israel, has been locked down by Israeli authorities after a synagogue, school and cars were burned by Arab rioters on Monday and Tuesday.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the violence was "unacceptable."

"Nothing justifies the lynching of Arabs by Jews and nothing justifies the lynching of Jews by Arabs," he said.

Political rivals of Netanyahu are blaming him for the escalation of tensions with Hamas and calling for his replacement. But, overseas, Netanyahu has just received the support of U.S. President Joe Biden, who spoke on Wednesday to assert his country's "unwavering support" for Israel's "right to defend itself."

Israel's military is reportedly preparing for a ground operation in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz confirmed on Thursday, ordering a "massive reinforcement" of security forces to help contain the deadly internal unrest between Jewish and Arab communities across the country. 

"We are in an emergency situation due to the national violence and it is now necessary to have a massive reinforcement of forces on the ground, and they are to be sent immediately to enforce law and order," he said.

Anger over the discriminatory treatment of the Palestinian minority in Israel, about 20 percent of the total population, has been growing in recent years and has been fueled by the recent destruction of Palestinian homes in Gaza.

By Thursday morning, an estimated 83 Palestinian civilians, including 17 children, and seven Israeli citizens had died since the raid at Al-Aqsa.

In a further sign of widening international concern, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Iberia all canceled flights to Tel Aviv as European carriers joined U.S. airlines in avoiding flying to Israel.

"The safety and security of our colleagues and customers is always our top priority and we continue to monitor the situation closely," British Airways said on Thursday.