Israel Katz

Negotiators seeking a Gaza ceasefire were scheduled to meet for a second day in Qatar on Friday, while top European diplomats were expected in Israel to stress the urgency of averting a wider war amid rising violence in Gaza.

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday the diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys to the Palestinian Authority would be revoked over Oslo's "anti-Israel behavior" since the Gaza war began last October.

"I ordered the termination of any representation on behalf of the Norwegian Embassy in Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority," Katz said in a statement.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has called for the "rapid elimination" of Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas. Sinwar took over the role a week after the death of the previous Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran. Katz's remarks reflect concerns that Sinwar, known for his radical stance, will further intensify the group's aggressive policies.

Hamas on Tuesday named Yahya Sinwar, the man Israel says masterminded the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Gaza war, as its new political chief following last week's killing of his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh.

The announcement came with the Middle East on edge as it awaited Iran's retaliation over the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran.

Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has assumed the leadership of the Palestinian group. This announcement by Hamas comes a week after their previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran, as reported by Reuters.

Türkiye on Tuesday slammed the Israeli foreign minister for targeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"The Israeli Foreign Minister has made a habit to make banal statements full of slander and lies targeting Türkiye and our President," a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.

Turkish officials rejected Israeli attempts to "denigrate" President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday and condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz for his latest provocation.

Katz targeted Erdoğan in a post on social media, claiming that the Turkish president is turning his country into a "dictatorship."

Israel's foreign ministry summoned the deputy Turkish ambassador for a reprimand on Friday after Turkey's embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half mast in response to the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

"The State of Israel will not tolerate expressions of mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniyeh," Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli has urged Israel that it won't achieve peace by killing negotiators and threatening diplomats in response to Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz' message targeting Türkiye.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that Turkey might intervene in Israel, similar to its past actions in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, although he did not specify the type of intervention he was considering. This statement was reported by Reuters.