Turkey expels Israeli ambassador over Gaza border deaths

Tuseday's expulsion came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was among Hamas's "biggest supporters".

Erdogan is among Hamas's biggest supporters and there is no doubt that he well understands terrorism and slaughter. I suggest that he not preach morality to us

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) May 15, 2018

Mr Erdoğan responded later in the afternoon by describing Israel as an "apartheid state" and advising the Israeli prime minister to read the ten commandments.

Netanyahu is the PM of an apartheid state that has occupied a defenseless people's lands for 60+ yrs in violation of UN resolutions.

He has the blood of Palestinians on his hands and can't cover up crimes by attacking Turkey.

Want a lesson in humanity? Read the 10 commandments.

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RT_Erdogan) May 15, 2018

Israel and Turkey were once strong allies but relations have become rocky over the past decade, in particular since the Mavi Marmara incident of 2010.

Turkish citizens were killed when the IDF stormed the Mavi Marmara flotilla carrying activists intending to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The two countries did not break diplomatic ties but relations were downgraded following the incident.

A Turkish ambassador did not return to Tel Aviv until 2016, after Israel agreed to compensate the victims’ families.