Angry Turkish Protests Erupt After Hospital Explosion in Gaza

Overnight, angry Turks took part in violent demonstrations that escalated into clashes with police after an explosion at a hospital in Gaza killed hundreds of Palestinians, reports Reuters, quoted by BTA.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the explosion “the latest example of Israeli attacks devoid of the most basic human values.”

Palestinian officials said the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike. Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which has denied responsibility.

Turkey’s presidential communications office quickly called Israel’s claim “#FakeNews” on social media platform X.

Overnight, Turks protested with Palestinian flags and chanted slogans denouncing Israel in at least a dozen Turkish cities, including outside the Israeli embassy in the capital, Ankara. Police used pepper spray and water cannons to disperse thousands of protesters who tried to enter the Israeli consulate compound in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. Five people have been detained, the Istanbul governor’s office said.

There was a heavy security presence around the consulate on Wednesday, with hundreds of police and about 10 water cannon vehicles stationed behind a line of metal barriers. The police checked the identity of those wishing to cross.

Political analysts said the explosion at a hospital in Gaza could have dire consequences for relations between Israel and Turkey.

“Ankara is now likely to take a much tougher anti-Israel stance, especially as the IDF incursion into Gaza is expected to intensify in the coming days, with inevitable humanitarian consequences,” Teneo’s Wolfgang Piccoli said.

“Erdogan may even decide to abandon the rapprochement with Israel that was launched in 2022 after more than ten years of strained relations between the two countries (…) The deterioration of relations between Turkey and Israel is also likely to affect Turkish- American ties, creating further stress between the two NATO allies at a volatile time.”

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2023-10-18 11:10:00
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