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Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, Turkey's president says. Israel fumes
Israel-Hamas War: The Turkish president said, "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud".
In his strongest comments yet on the Israel-Gaza conflict, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people. Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Tayyip Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together to secure a lasting peace in the region.
"Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he said. Slamming Western powers that have voiced support for Israel's retaliation against Hamas, the Turkish president said, "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud".
Read more: 'Where is he': Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair stays in US amid Hamas war
Following his remarks, Italy's deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini said that they were "grave and disgusting and did not help with de-escalation".
"I will propose to my colleague (Foreign Minister Antonio) Tajani to send a formal protest and to summon the Turkish Ambassador," Matteo Salvini said.
Turkey foreign minister Hakan Fidan said that Israel committed "a crime against humanity" in its war in Gaza while speaking in Qatar.
"Targeting our Palestinian brothers, including children, patients and the elderly, even in schools, hospitals and mosques, is a crime against humanity," he said.
Tel Aviv rejected Tayyip Erdogan's assertion saying that, “Israel wholeheartedly rejects the Turkish president's harsh words about the terrorist organization Hamas. Even the Turkish president's attempt to defend the terrorist organization and his inciting words will not change the horrors that the whole world has seen.”
Earlier, Turkey condemned the civilians deaths that resulted from Hamas' October 7 attack but also urged Israel to react in a restrained way. Ankara has also strongly condemned Israel's heavy bombardment of Gaza while offering to mediate in the conflict and sending humanitarian aid.
Accusing Israel of taking advantage of Turkey's good intentions, Erdogan said that he had now cancelled a planned trip to Israel.
Turkey has also backed a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
