An Israeli footballer who showed a message referring to the Israel-Hamas war during a First Division match in Turkey has been arrested, several Turkish news outlets reported late Sunday.
Agency Report has it that earlier, the country’s justice minister had announced an investigation into Israeli player Sagiv Jehezkel over the incident for suspected “incitement to hate”. His club Antalyaspor, has already sacked him over the incident.
Jehezkel celebrated scoring a goal for his Antalyaspor team against Trabsonspor by revealing a message which read, “100 days. 07/10” on a bandage on his left wrist.
The message was a reference to the Israel-Hamas war which reached a grim milestone of 100 days on Sunday.
“The Antalya public prosecutor’s office has opened a judicial investigation against Israeli footballer Sagiv Jehezkel for public incitement to hate due to his odious celebration in favour of the massacre committed by Israel in Gaza,” said Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc on ‘X’.
“We will continue to support the oppressed Palestinians,” he added, denouncing what he described as ongoing “genocide” in Gaza.
