Egypt summons Turkish diplomat over Gaza remarks

Cairo, July 21 (IANS) The Egyptian foreign ministry summoned the Turkish charge d’affaires Sunday to protest Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent statements.

The Turkish prime minister has criticised Egypt’s handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and called Egyptian president a "tyrant".

He criticised Egypt’s newly-elected President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, mocking Egypt’s proposed ceasefire for Gaza and referring to Sisi himself as an illegitimate "tyrant", Xinhua reported.

Summoning the Turkish diplomat was based on instructions from Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry "to convey to him a message of Egypt’s rejection and condemnation of these remarks", the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

In early June, Egypt summoned the Turkish diplomat to protest Turkish criticism of the Egyptian presidential election that led to Sisi’s leadership.