Turkey blocked access to Instagram for its 85 million people, the country's Information and Communication Technologies Authority announced Friday morning. According to Turkish media, there are more than 50 million users of the photo-sharing app in the country. Reports however suggest the ban was a response to the Meta -owned platform removing posts related to the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Iranian officials and Hamas blame Israel for what they say is an assassination, while Israel has declined to comment. Fahrettin Altun, head of Turkey's presidential communications and an aide to Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan, on Wednesday criticized Instagram, accusing it of censorship.

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Persons: Instagram.com, Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Israel, Fahrettin Altun, Recep Tayip Erdogan, Instagram, Altun, Meta, Israel —, Erdogan Organizations: Communication Technologies, Turkey's Daily, CNBC, Turkish Locations: Turkey, Turkish, Turkey's, Turkey's Daily Sabah, Tehran, Israel, Gaza