‘Israel is dragging region into further turmoil through assassinations’: Türkiye’s communications director

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israel is escalating regional tensions through covert operations and assassinations, Türkiye’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Wednesday.

“Israel is dragging our region into further turmoil through assassinations and covert actions intended to kill any chance of peace,” Altun said on X.

He criticized the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for risking wider conflict with its actions and endangering its own citizens. “Those who enable this government must be ashamed of themselves,” he added.

Altun condemned the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh as “the latest example of state-sponsored terrorism in blatant violation of state sovereignty of another country.”

“Israel is targeting political leaders who seek a lasting solution,” he said.

Haniyeh, who was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed in an airstrike on a guest house.

“The Netanyahu government has shown, time and again, that it is not committed to a ceasefire or a peace settlement,” he said, adding that it is only interested in expanding its “theft and occupation of Palestinian lands.”

The Turkish communications director also condemned Instagram, saying that the social media platform is “actively preventing people from posting messages of condolences” over the assassination of Haniyeh.

“This is censorship, pure and simple,” he said and vowed to defend freedom of speech.

Altun said that Türkiye would stand with Palestinians on every platform, asserting that Palestine will eventually be free.