Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş gave a harsh response on social media to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz's criticisms of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In his post, Yavaş drew attention to the killing of children, women, and civilians in Gaza, stating that Katz has no right to wag his finger at Turkey. Yavaş said, "Those who speak in the shadow of genocide have no right to preach. As a member of a government that kills children, women, and civilians in Gaza, you are the last person to speak. It is not your place to wag your finger at Turkey and the Turkish nation. First, account for the war crimes you have committed. History and conscience will remember you as a perpetrator of genocide." This statement is seen as an indicator of the sensitivity in Turkey-Israel relations and the political reflections of the conflicts in the region.