Turkish President Erdogan calls Israel PM Netanyahu the 'butcher of Gaza'

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks to the media at a press conference during his visit at the chancellery with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany on Friday, Nov. 17. (AP/Markus Schreiber)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , who has been a vocal critic of Israel since the war against Hamas started, is now calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “butcher of Gaza.” 

Erdogan on Wednesday also reiterated that his government would ensure that Israel is held accountable for its military actions before international courts, accusing Netanyahu of committing “one of the worst atrocities” of the century, according to the Associated Press. 

“With the murders he committed in Gaza, Netanyahu is firing up antisemitism and endangering the security of the people of Israel and of all Jewish people,” Erdogan reportedly said. “Immigrants living in [Western] countries are paying the price for the irresponsible rhetoric of Western leaders that demonize Palestinians.” 

Turkey in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 had denounced the violence and condemned deaths caused by the group, but as Israel rolled out its response, Erdogan shifted his support and started to refer to Hamas as "freedom fighters."  

Israel’s Foreign Ministry previously has said that "Erdogan’s attempt to defend a terrorist organization and his inflammatory statements won’t change the horrors seen by the world that proves Hamas is ISIS."