UPDATE - Turkish court releases footballer arrested after pro-Israel gesture during match

UPDATES WITH PLAYER'S RELEASE, ADDS MORE DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE

By Suleyman Elcin, Gulsem Adam, Tahsin Kucukkaraca and Sinan Ozmus

ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) - Sagiv Jehezkel, an Israeli football player in Türkiye, was released by a Turkish court on Monday, hours after getting arrested for sharing a message of solidarity with his nation in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Judicial sources said Bitexen Antalyaspor winger Jehezkel, who was sent to court after a health check, was released after his interrogation at the prosecutor's office.

The 28-year-old was excluded from the squad for his pro-Israel goal celebration during the Trabzonspor match on Sunday, and later arrested for an investigation started by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on grounds of "inciting the public to hatred and hostility," according to police sources.

The Turkish Super Lig club's deputy president and spokesperson Evren Alkan said the lawyers of Antalyaspor are working to terminate Jehezkel's deal.

After scoring against Trabzonspor, Jehezkel shared a message of solidarity with Israel by raising his bandaged hand.

The message refers to the attack carried out by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, and the 100 days of Israeli onslaught on Gaza. The bandage had a Star of David, which symbolizes the Jewish identity.

Jehezkel apologized for his goal celebration, and said he aims to "draw attention to the 100th day of the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel."

"I want the war to end as soon as possible.

"... I wholeheartedly apologize to all Turkish people for this action I made during the match. I regret. I didn't want to make any provocations. I didn't think it could cause such a reaction," Jehezkel said in his statement to the police.

Antalyaspor drew with Trabzonspor 1-1 at home.

This season the Israeli international has scored six goals and made two assists in 13 matches for Antalyaspor.

A judicial investigation was launched against Jehezkel "for his ugly action supporting Israel's massacre in Gaza after he scored the goal, for inciting the public to hatred and hostility," Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on X late Sunday.

The Turkish football body condemned Jehezkel's "completely unacceptable behavior," and a disciplinary investigation against those responsible was initiated.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv claims killed 1,200 people.

More than 24,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The UN says at least 85% of the population of Gaza is already internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.