Dhaka, Aug. 31 -- Microsoft has fired four employees who participated in protests on company premises over the firm's ties to Israel, including two who took part in a sit-in this week at the office of the company's president.

Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli received voicemails informing them that they were fired, the protest group No Azure for Apartheid said in a statement on Wednesday.

They were among demonstrators who had recently set up encampments at Microsoft headquarters to protest against the company's support for Israel as it wages its war on Gaza.

Microsoft said the terminations followed serious breaches of company policies. In its statement on Thursday, it said recent on-site demonstrations had "created significant safety concern...