Turkey warned Israel of “serious consequences” if it tries to hunt down Hamas members living outside Palestinian territories, including in Turkey, a Turkish intelligence official said on Monday.
“Necessary warnings were made to the interlocutors based on the news of Israeli officials’ statements, and it was expressed to Israel that (such an act) would have serious consequences,” the official said.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel would hunt down Hamas in Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar even if it takes years, the head of Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet said in a recording. It was unclear when Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar made the remarks or to whom.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be tried as a war criminal over Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, referring to the Likud party leader as the “butcher of Gaza.”
In a speech to a meeting of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) committee in Istanbul, Erdogan said that Gaza is Palestinian land and will always belong to the Palestinians.
“Israel is not only a murderer but also a thief,” Erdogan said, according to Turkish state media, adding “We cannot let Israel occupy Gaza once again.”
