Israeli Leaders Send Condolences to Turkey After Bombing

By Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM — Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz sent his condolences to Turkey after a bombing earlier on Sunday in Istanbul killed at least six people and wounded 53 others.

“I would like to express my heartfelt condolences and send my prayers to affected families, to the Turkish nation and to the government of Turkiye,” Gantz tweeted. “Israel’s defense establishment is prepared to provide any assistance required.”

Gantz added that the attack “is a painful reminder that we must continue deepening defense cooperation against bloodthirsty terrorists who seek to harm innocent civilians.”

Prime Minister Yair Lapid and President Isaac Herzog sent their condolences in separate statements soon thereafter.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the “vile attack” and said authorities were “working to find the perpetrators.” No one has yet taken responsibility for it.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that so far there was no word of any Israeli citizens hurt in the blast and it continues to be in touch with the consulate for updates.

In the meantime, it warned Israeli tourists currently in Istanbul to stay in their hotel rooms and not venture into the city, following the bombing, according to media reports. An Israeli woman who witnessed the explosion said it occurred outside a restaurant that is popular with tourists from Israel

“It was a terrible explosion. It’s impossible to describe what is going on there,” the woman, who was identified only by her first name Osnat, told Israel’s Channel 12 news.

Another Israeli who was in the area told the network that he was about 150 yards away but said, “My back hurts from the shock that hit me. I felt a real boom and everything was smoke. People were running amok,” Avi Ben Yishai was quoted as saying.

Benny Lam, an Israeli sports figure, said: “Today we arrived in Istanbul and went to a restaurant from the airport, and we sat there an hour. When we got up, we heard a blast 30-40 yards from us. If we had remained seated, we would’ve been among the wounded,” he said.

In mid-June, Israel warned that of concrete intelligence on Iranian intentions to target Israelis in Istanbul, and advised its citizens not to travel there, and if already in Turkey, to return home right away.