Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan leaves the stage after speaking during the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP)

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (File photo: AP)

Turkey tells Israeli envoy to return to Israel ‘for some time’ after Gaza deaths

Reuters, Ankara

Published: 16 May ,2018: 12:00 AM GST Updated: 20 May ,2020: 10:53 AM GST

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has told Israel's consul general in Istanbul to return to Israel "for some time", state-run Anadolu news agency said on Wednesday, after Israeli forces killed more than 60 Palestinians during protests on the Gaza border.

Ministry officials were not available to comment. On Tuesday, the ministry made a similar call to Israel's ambassador to Ankara. Turkey has been a vocal critic of the violence in Gaza and the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem.