Why Israel ordered citizens, diplomats to leave Turkey
Israel has withdrawn all its diplomats from Turkey on Thursday, including Ambassador Irit Lillian, days after raising its travel advisory to its highest level.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) warned against travelling to Turkey, citing fears that Israeli travellers might be targeted.
It urged all Israeli citizens in Turkey to leave as soon as possible after raising its travel advisory to its highest level, four.
The diplomats left on Thursday due to security concerns and not because of a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
READ ALSO: Israeli strikes target Syria’s airports as conflict with Hamas escalates
One source said that the Israeli NSC advisory didn’t differentiate the diplomats from ordinary Israeli nationals and had called on all Israelis to leave.
Israel began bombing Gaza on 7 October when Palestinian fighters launched a surprise assault on Israel, which killed more than 1,400 people.
Retaliatory Israeli air strikes have killed over 3,500 Palestinians, including 1,500 children and 1,000 women. Around one million people have been displaced and forced to shelter in hospitals and schools as Israel tightens its siege of the enclave.
Since the conflict erupted, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly offered to play middleman and help negotiate an end to the hostilities.