Chad recalls ambassador to Israel over “unprecedented deadly violence in the Gaza Strip”

Authorities in Chad have announced the withdrawal of the country’s envoy in Israel for consultation over what officials described as “unprecedented deadly violence in the Gaza Strip”.

The country’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement that the government condemned “the loss of human lives of many innocent civilians” and called “for a ceasefire leading to a lasting solution to the Palestinian question”.

The African country has now joined Turkey, Chile, Bahrain, Honduras, Colombia, and Jordan to recall their ambassadors to Israel.

Chad, a Muslim-dominated country had cut its diplomatic relations with Israel since 1972 but later normalised ties in 2019.

The country is the first in Africa to recall its envoy from Israel since the start of the retaliatory offensives began in Gaza.

Israel started bombing Gaza after the Hamas attack in Israel and took more than 200 hostages.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 9,700 people have been killed in the Strip since 7 October.