By Silvia Amaro, CNBC–

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Tuesday morning, amid concerns of increased violence on the Israeli-Gaza border.

At around 4:15 a.m. ET, Dow futures fell 59 points, indicating a lower implied open of 49 points. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 futures also indicated a lower start to the session for their respective markets.

The moves in pre-market trade followed an escalation in violence Monday at the Israeli-Gaza border on the day the U.S. opened its embassy in Jerusalem, after President Donald Trump moved it from Tel Aviv. Palestinians interpreted the move as support for Israeli control of the whole city. They claim that East Jerusalem is the capital of a future Palestinian state. Prince Turki Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia told CNBC that the move will increase instability in the Middle East.

U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad said that Washington and Beijing are still “very far apart” when it comes to fixing their trade differences, Reuters reported.

U.S. stocks closed higher Monday with the Dow positing an eight-day winning streak, supported by solid company results.

More earnings are scheduled to be released in the U.S. on Tuesday. Home Depot and Vodafone are poised to release its latest figures before the opening bell.

In economic data, April retail sales numbers are due at 8:30 ET.