Israeli football player sacked by Turkish club for social media post about Gaza conflict

By Can Erozden

Former Turkish champions RAMS Basaksehir's Israeli midfielder Eden Kartsev was sacked Thursday by the club for a social media post about the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Istanbul's Basaksehir, who won the Turkish top-tier Super Lig title in 2020, wrote on X that following a disciplinary process, it was decided that Kartsev, 23, will continue his career outside Türkiye.

Kartsev, who joined Basaksehir from Israel's Maccabi Netanya in January 2023, was also fined by the Turkish club.

Maccabi Tel Aviv said in a statement that Kartsev joined the Israeli club on loan for the remainder of the season and it has an option to purchase.

On Jan. 14, Kartsev reposted a pro-Israel social media message on Instagram to mark 100 days since the start of the war against Gaza and a message that called for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian group, Hamas.

His message read: "Bring Them Home Now." Basaksehir warned Kartsev about the message before he removed the post.

Earlier this week Basaksehir launched a disciplinary probe.

Kartsev is the second Israeli footballer sacked by a Turkish club after Bitexen Antalyaspor dismissed Sagiv Jehezkel for a similar reason.

After scoring in last weekend's match against Trabzonspor, Jehezkel raised his bandaged hand bearing a Jewish Star of David to mark 100 days of Israeli attacks on Gaza following the attack by Hamas.

Jehezkel, who was released by the club, returned to Israel this week.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since the attack by Hamas which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 people.

At least 24,620 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 61,830 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure is damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.