ANKARA, Nov 29, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 
Wednesday branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "the butcher of 
Gaza" and accused him of spawning anti-Semitism across the world.

Erdogan has lashed out repeatedly at Israel for the scale of death and 
destruction caused by its response to Hamas militants' unprecedented October 
7 cross-border attack.

He has branded Israel a "terrorist state" and called Hamas "a liberation 
group".

Erdogan redoubled those attacks during an appearance before his Islamic-
rooted ruling party members in parliament.

"Netanyahu has already written his name in history as the butcher of Gaza," 
Erdogan said in nationally televised remarks.

"Netanyahu is endangering the security of all Jews in the world by supporting 
anti-Semitism with the murders he committed in Gaza."

Erdogan's sharp rhetoric has threatened to rupture Turkey's budding relations 
with Israel.

The two sides last year reappointed ambassadors following a decade-long 
rupture in ties.

They had also been discussing developing closer trade relations and working 
on new energy projects that could have helped build longer-term trust.

The Gaza war prompted Israel to recall all diplomatic staff from Turkey and 
other regional countries as a security precaution.

Turkey has also withdrawn its Tel Aviv envoy in protest at Israel's approach.

Mediators were trying Wednesday to extend an Israel-Hamas truce that has 
allowed 60 Israeli hostages and 180 Palestinian prisoners to be released 
since last week.

Erdogan said Netanyahu's government was complicating those efforts by 
continuing to discuss plans to eradicate Hamas.

"Statements made by the Netanyahu administration diminish our hopes for the 
humanitarian pause to be transformed into a lasting ceasefire," Erdogan said.

The truce agreement has brought a temporary halt to fighting that began when 
Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people, 
mostly civilians, and kidnapping about 240.

Israel's subsequent air and ground campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 15,000 
people, also mostly civilians, according to Hamas officials, and reduced 
large parts of the north of the territory to rubble.