Turkey declares 3 days of mourning over Gaza hospital blast

Turkey has declared three days of national mourning following the blast on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of Palestinians, a senior official said.

The period of mourning reflects Turkey's solidarity with the victims, said Omer Celik, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party.

Celik called the blast one of the worst massacres in modern history.

The hospital explosion caused outrage in Turkey, where thousands of people demonstrated outside Israeli diplomatic missions in Istanbul and Ankara. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

At least 63 people, including 43 police officers, were injured and five people were arrested in Istanbul, according to officials. (AP)