Claims emerge that NTV Foreign News Editor Ahmet Yeşiltepe will be fired following his remarks on Israeli civilians

It has been alleged that NTV Foreign News Editor Ahmet Yeşiltepe will have his employment with the institution terminated following his assessment during a live broadcast regarding Iran's missile attack on Israel.

During the NTV broadcast, Yeşiltepe stated that he was concerned for Israeli civilians, saying, "It is not right to say that Israel did this and therefore deserved this; ultimately, it is civilians who are harmed. I am concerned that even if military targets are aimed at, many civilians could be harmed by the impact of the missiles."

Following the backlash on social media and in the public eye, Yeşiltepe issued a statement. Stating that he has described the events in Gaza as a "crime against humanity" and "genocide" from the very beginning, Yeşiltepe expressed that he had stated at the beginning and end of the broadcast, while the Iranian missiles were falling, that the ones responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians were the "Zionist regime and the blood-stained Netanyahu."

In his statement, Yeşiltepe said, "Even if it was taken out of context, I apologize to everyone I have upset or hurt with this expression."

According to a report by Odatv, Yeşiltepe's apology was not considered sufficient within the institution. It was claimed that Yeşiltepe, who was placed on mandatory leave, will have his employment contract terminated upon his return from leave.

Born in 1968, Ahmet Yeşiltepe worked as a reporter during periods such as the Bosnian War, the Kosovo War, and the September 11 attacks. Having established NTV's New York bureau in 1997, Yeşiltepe has prepared and presented various programs on NTV, including the "Main News," since 2004. Yeşiltepe also served as the General Broadcast Coordinator for Radios and General Editor-in-Chief of NTVMSNBC within the Doğuş Media Group.