An Israeli in Beijing, China fell victim to a call by Palestinian militant group Hamas to attack Israelis and Jews around the world.

The employee of the Israel embassy in Beijing was attacked and hospitalized on Friday, Israel's foreign ministry reported.

The attack did not take place at the embassy compound, the ministry said.

"The motive for the assault is being looked into," it added.

A statement on the Israeli foreign ministry website warned that Hamas had called on "all of its supporters around the world to hold a 'Day of Rage'" on Friday to "attack Israelis and Jews."

"It is reasonable to assume that there will be protest events in various countries that are liable to turn violent," the statement said.

Thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran on Friday in a show of support for Palestinians amid the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The demonstrators waved the flags of Iran, Palestine and Hezbollah and burned the flags of the United States and Israel, an Agence France-Presse journalist said.

They also chanted slogans and held banners that read "Down with America" and "Down with Israel" as they marched in the Iranian capital.

Similar rallies were held in other cities across the Islamic republic.

Thousands of Iraqis poured onto the streets of Baghdad Friday in support of Palestinians amid Israeli air strikes on Gaza in reprisal for a deadly Hamas attack, state television said.

"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted the demonstrators, who had gathered in Tahrir Square after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a demonstration "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.

Protesters waved Palestinian and Iraqi flags while a huge Israeli flag was laid on the ground for the demonstrators to trample on.

"This rally is aimed at condemning what is happening in occupied Palestine, the bloodletting and the violation of rights," Abu Kayan, an organizer of the protest, said.