Protests erupt across Türkiye following Gaza hospital attack
ISTANBUL
Demonstrators in several Turkish cities have taken to the streets to protest a devastating attack on a hospital in Gaza that resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives.
Both Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas denied responsibility for the assault. Protesters, blaming Israel for the deadly attack, took to the streets in a display of solidarity with the victims.
In Istanbul, demonstrators gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate General, condemning the attack. However, police intervened employing pepper spray to disperse the crowd and prevent them from approaching the building located in Levent neighborhood.
Amid the turmoil, Eshabil Tüfekçi, the father of Nuri Tüfekçi from the Saadet Party's Istanbul administration, succumbed to a heart attack.
Meanwhile, a total of 63 citizens, including 43 police officers, were injured during the incidents, with five individuals detained, according to the governorship.
In the capital city of Ankara, thousands of people gathered in front of the Israeli embassy to voice their outrage. Security forces took extensive security measures to maintain order. Attempts by some protesters to enter the embassy building were met with resistance from police teams.
In southern Adana city, a crowd assembled in front of the U.S. Consulate to protest the attacks on Gaza. After a press statement, the situation escalated as protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the consulate. Police teams intervened, leading to clashes in which two officers were injured by thrown stones.
Similar protests were reported in cities such as Van, Edirne and Diyarbakır, organized by non-governmental organizations and political parties.
In the meantime, Israel's National Security Council raised the travel warning to the highest level for its citizens traveling to Türkiye, urging Israelis in the country to leave immediately.
