According to reports, the access restriction was imposed in retaliation to Instagram removing posts from Turkish users expressing condolences over the death of Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority, which governs the internet in Turkey, announced the restriction without providing an explanation.
It comes just a few days after an advisor to Turkey’s president criticized the Meta-owned social networking platform for blocking Turkish users from writing messages of condolence for Haniyeh.
Unlike its Western friends, Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, has referred to the organization as “liberation fighters”.
Turkey is holding a day of mourning for Haniyeh on Friday, with flags flying at half-mast.
The deaths of Hamas leader Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr have heightened tensions in the Middle East, while the war in Gaza continues to kill thousands.
There was no quick response from Instagram, which has over 50 million users in Turkey, a country with a population of 85 million.
