The Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s recent statement targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Türkiye.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry said they consider Katz’s statement a "futile psychological operation attempt, aimed at seeking attention and diverting public opinion."

"We are looking forward to the Israeli Foreign Minister’s defense before the court for his role in the genocide against Palestinians," the ministry said.

It continued by saying that Türkiye would continue to oppose Israel's oppressive policies and support the Palestinian people.

In the latest provocation against Türkiye and President Erdoğan, Katz shared a message claiming that the "free world" condemns Hamas, as he accused them of rape and burning babies, all crimes blatantly committed by the Israeli military since Oct. 7 based on evidence. Israel killed over 42,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration are accused of carrying out genocide in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Since Oct. 7, Katz made it a habit to post provocative messages insulting President Erdoğan and Türkiye and recently threatened him by claiming that he followed in the footsteps of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and should remember what happened in Iraq. Erdoğan and other Turkish officials have slammed the Israeli top diplomat for targeting Türkiye to divert attention from Israel's ongoing war crimes in Gaza.

Tensions between Israel and Türkiye have risen sharply since the start of the war in Gaza as Ankara has cut off commercial ties with Tel Aviv, with Erdoğan repeatedly trading barbs with Netanyahu, who is accused of war crimes and genocide in Gaza.

Besides killing more than 42,000 Palestinians since October, the Israeli military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.