Israel said Saturday it was recalling its diplomatic staff from Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lashed out at its military campaign in Gaza, Agence France-Presse reported.
“Given the grave statements coming from Turkey, I have ordered the return of diplomatic representatives there in order to conduct a reevaluation of the relations between Israel and Turkey,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The Turkish leader has been a leading international supporter of Palestinian rights during his two-decade rule.
He took a more cautious line in the first days after Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Oct. 7 during which they seized more than 220 hostages and claimed more than 1,400 lives.
But he has become much more vocal as the reported death toll from Israel’s military response has grown.
Gaza’s health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed 7,703 people — mainly civilians — with more than 3,500 of them children.