* Blocks access to Instagram to protest removal of posts on Ismail Haniyeh
Türkiye lowered its flag to half-mast around the country and at its diplomatic missions worldwide after declaring a day of national mourning over the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh.
Flags were flown at half-mast across Turkiye and at its diplomatic missions overseas, including Nigeria on Friday as the country marks a day of national mourning for Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
He was assassinated on Wednesday in the Iranian capital, which Tehran and other countries in the region have blamed on Israel.
Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in his death.
Türkiye lowered its flag to half-mast around the country and at its diplomatic missions worldwide after declaring a day of national mourning over the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh ⤵️
👉 https://t.co/AFtLubkMhu pic.twitter.com/iKezKiQxDI
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) August 2, 2024
On Friday, Israel summoned the deputy Turkish ambassador for a reprimand after Turkey’s embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag in honour of the Palestinian leader.
“Israel will not accept expressions of participation in mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniyeh,” said Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who summoned the Turkish deputy ambassador for a reprimand, in a statement published by his office.
“If embassy representatives want to mourn, let them go to Turkey and mourn together with their master Erdogan, who embraces the terrorist organization Hamas and supports its murderous acts,” Katz said.
🇮🇱🇹🇷 Israel summons Turkey’s deputy ambassador for lowering the embassy’s flag to half-mast in honor of Ismail Haniyeh
They’re furious … pic.twitter.com/QW8MFTArJq
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) August 2, 2024
Muslim News gathered that Israel, like many Western nations, sees Hamas as a terrorist organisation, while Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan frequently describes the Palestinian group as a “liberation movement”.
Erdogan issued a presidential decree for flags to be flown at half-mast on Friday and denounced the killing of Haniyeh as a “despicable” act.
This medium also learnt that Turkiye has blocked access to Instagram, which has over 50 million users.
Turkey's embassy in Washington DC has lowered its flag to half-mast over the death of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
The US designates Haniyeh as the leader of a foreign terror group. The Turkish gov. is moving towards extremism and working on behalf of the Islamic Republic. pic.twitter.com/PEF1GfyCtP
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) August 2, 2024
While it did not provide a reason, various media including Yeni Safak newspaper said the move came after the social media platform took down posts expressing condolences at Haniyeh’s passing.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have dramatically worsened since the start of the war in Gaza, in which more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed.
As Turkey surprises some by declaring a day of mourning for Ismail Haniyeh, its embassy in Tel Aviv has lowered its flag at half-mast, causing yet another diplomatic falling-out between the two countries (adding to the already very strained relations). https://t.co/LnoIndWM2o pic.twitter.com/9ao0N6KcVl
— Louis Fishman لوي فيشمان לואי פישמן (@Istanbultelaviv) August 2, 2024
