The Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry released an announcement following yesterday's violent strikes on Gaza by Israel, which resulted in the deaths of Hamas military chief Ahmed al-Jaabari and nine others, including children and women.

"The operation in Gaza launched today (yesterday) by Israel is the latest example of this nation's aggressive policies. We strongly condemn this attack and demand that it stop immediately," stated the Foreign Ministry. Ankara also called on the UN take action.

Davutoğlu and Clinton discuss Gaza

Affairs Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the phone in order to discuss the onset of Israeli attacks on Gaza which intensified Wednesday night.

Davutoğlu and his U.S. counterpart stressed the importance of taking steps to ease the increasing tension in the region. According to diplomatic sources, Davutoğlu and Clinton also discussed the latest situation in Syria and its shared border with Turkey.

In Turkey, citizens flocked to the Fatih mosque to demonstrate in protest of the Israeli assault. Israel launched a major offensive against Gaza on Wednesday, killing the military commander of Hamas in an air strike and threatening an invasion Hamas vowed would "open the gates of hell".

Operation "Pillar of Defense" began with a surgical strike on a car carrying the commander of the military wing of Hamas. Within minutes of the death of Ahmed Al-Jaabari, big explosions shook Gaza as the Israeli air force struck at selected targets just before sundown, blasting plumes of smoke and debris high above the crowded city. Panicking civilians ran for cover and the death toll mounted quickly. Ten people including three children were killed and about 40 were wounded. Also among the dead were an 11-month-old baby and a woman pregnant with twins.