Israel has asked its citizens to leave Turkey as soon as possible for their own safety, the Israeli consulate in Istanbul told Agence France-Presse today, citing growing “terrorist threats.”
According to the same source, the alert level for Israeli travelers to Turkey “has been raised to level 4, the highest level.”
“In light of the continued increase in terrorist threats against Israelis abroad … all Israelis residing in Turkey should depart as soon as possible,” the Israeli National Security Council also warned in an official statement.
Angry pro-Palestinian demonstrations
In Turkey, anger against Israel is growing and new demonstrations are planned.
Overnight Turkish protesters clashed with police in angry demonstrations after an explosion killed hundreds of Palestinians in a Gaza hospital and new marches are planned for today.
Palestinian officials said the explosion was caused by an Israeli air strike. Israel blamed the explosion at Al-Ahli Al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denies responsibility.
President Tayyip Erdogan calls the blast “the latest example of Israeli attacks that lack most basic human values.”
The Turkish presidential communications office quickly labeled Israel’s claim #FakeNews” on the X platform.
Police clashes with protesters
Overnight, Turks marched with Palestinian flags, chanting anti-Israel slogans in at least 10 Turkish cities, including outside the Israeli embassy in the capital Ankara.
Police used pepper spray and fired water to disperse the thousands of protesters who tried to enter the Israeli consulate complex in Istanbul. Five people were detained, the Istanbul governor’s office said.
Today, there was a heavy security presence around the consulate, with hundreds of police officers and around 10 vehicles with water sprayers deployed behind metal barricades. The police were checking the details of those who wanted to pass through that point.