Israeli soccer star Sagiv Jehezkel arrives in Tel Aviv from Turkey. Photo: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

The Israeli soccer player whose professional contract was abruptly terminated by a Turkish club after he drew attention to the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza landed in Tel Aviv on Monday evening, where he gratefully declared, “there is nowhere like Israel.”

The arrival of Sagiv Jehezkel in his homeland brought to an end a nightmare that began on Sunday, after the Israeli winger scored an equalizing goal for his team, Antalyaspor, against Trabzonspor in the Turkish league contest.

After scoring in the 68th minute, Jehezkel, who only signed for Antalyaspor last September, ran to the touchline where, as part of his celebration, he displayed a bandage wrapped around his wrist to the camera bearing the words “100 days. 07/10” alongside a Star of David — a reference to the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel.

Predictably, Jehezkel’s gesture resulted in a furious reaction in Turkey, where the government of President Recep Tayyip Erodgan enthusiastically supports Hamas, which it describes as a “liberation” organization. Insults targeted at Jehezkel circulated widely on social media while a group of  Antalyaspor fans gathered at the club’s training ground bellowing the slogan, “Zionist dog.” The club’s chairman, Sinan Boztepe, quickly dismissed Jehezkel from the team. “I watched with sadness and surprise that Sagiv Jehezkel acted against the sensitivities of Antalya, Antalyaspor, and our country,” Boztepe posted on X/Twitter. Separately, the Caglayan Group, a company which sponsors the team’s jersey, said it would withdraw its support unless Jehezkel was dismissed from the team.

Following Jehezkel’s departure from Turkey on a private plane, Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, expressed satisfaction in an X/Twitter post.

“Antalyaspor’s Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel left our country as of 17.15,” he wrote. “I would like to point out once again that Turkey is always on the side of all the oppressed and the Palestinian people.”

Prior to his departure, Jehezkel was taken into custody where his phone was confiscated. Following his release, Turkey’s Justice Minister, Yilmaz Tunc, said an investigation had been launched into the player’s “ugly action supporting Israel’s massacre in Gaza.” It is unclear whether Jehezkel would face criminal charges in Turkey were he to return there.

Speaking to broadcaster NTV following the incident, Jehezkel said he “did not act to incite or provoke anyone.”

“I am not a pro-war person,” he said. “There are Israeli soldiers held hostage in Gaza. I am someone who believes that this 100-day period should end now. I want the war to end. That’s why I showed the message here.”

Israeli politicians slammed the Turkish action. “When there was an earthquake in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first country to stand up and extend aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X/Twitter. “The scandalous arrest of the soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel is an expression of hypocrisy and ingratitude. Through its actions, Turkey serves as the executive arm of Hamas.”

As well as Jehezkel, another Israeli soccer player in Turkey is facing disciplinary proceedings. The Istanbul club Basaksehir said it would act against against the Israeli midfielder Eden Kartsev for harming “sensitive values” in Turkey. Kartsev was also briefly detained on Monday about a post on Instagram highlighting the plight of Israeli hostages, state media reported.