International Desk: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Hamas is not a terrorist organization; Hamas is a freedom-seeking group that is fighting for the protection of the Palestinian land and its people.
Turkish President Erdoğan has made the strongest statement ever on the conflict in Gaza. News from Anadolu
In a speech to lawmakers from Turkey’s ruling AK Party on Wednesday, Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.
He said that Muslim countries must work together for permanent peace in the region.
Erdogan criticized Western countries for supporting Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Hamas, saying the West’s mourning for Israel is a form of cruelty.
Criticizing the Western view of Hamas as a “terrorist” organization, Turkey’s president said Hamas is not a terrorist organization. It is a liberating ‘Mujahideen’ group that is fighting to protect their land and people.
Most of Turkey’s NATO allies have designated Hamas a terrorist group. Erdoğan’s comments about the group therefore drew an immediate retort from Italian Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
He called Hamas a deadly revolutionary group, saying the group had not been instrumental in reducing the violence. Italy could summon the Turkish ambassador.
Turkish President Erdogan also condemned the attack by Hamas in the southern part of Israel on October 7. But at the same time, he called on Israel to behave with restraint.
He canceled plans to visit Tel Aviv due to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
