Israel's foreign ministry summoned Turkey's deputy ambassador on Friday after Turkey's embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half-mast in mourning for slain Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, reports Reuters.
"The State of Israel will not tolerate mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniya," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Hania was killed in Tehran, where he had gone to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian. Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for his death, but Iran and its allies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, have blamed Israel for the attack and vowed retaliation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Friday, August 2, a day of national mourning in memory of Haniya.
In his statement, Katz said Haniya was the leader of Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and took more than 250 hostages in Gaza, sparking the Israeli attack on the coastal enclave.
Tensions between Israel and Turkey have escalated sharply since the start of the Gaza war, which has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians.