Forth AKP official quits Turkey-Israel friendship body

His move came after three other AKP deputies' resignations.

Bagis told Anatolian Agency he condemns Israel's use of excessive force on Gaza, which began on Saturday.

"I am confident that Israel's attacks on Gaza have caused sorrow for the Jewish citizens of Turkey. As Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, Israel's attacks on Gaza are a show of disrespect towards Turkey," Bagis said.

"For these reasons, I wanted to announce that I have resigned from the Turkish-Israeli interparliamentary friendship group," he added.

Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Murat Mercan, and two other AKP deputies, Abdulkadir Emin Onen and Yahya Akman, also resigned Monday from the friendship group over the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Medical officials put the total Palestinian death toll since Israel launched its offensive on Saturday at 347, with more than 800 wounded. A United Nations agency said at least 62 of the dead were civilians.