Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid demanded that Turkey close the offices of the Hamas movement operating in the country after Israel announced the arrests of 50 members of the movement in the West Bank, led by Istanbul, the Times of Israel reports.

The nations of the world must act like Britain and outlaw Hamas, he said.

Lapid issued a statement shortly after the Israeli security agency Shin Bet reported that it had defeated a large Hamas cell, arresting 50 of its militants. According to Shin Bet, the Hamas cell was headed from Turkey by Saleh al-Aruri, deputy head of the Hamas office, and member of the organization Zakaria Najib.