Hamas is a 'liberation group', not a terrorist organization: Erdogan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Oct 2023 17:11

The Turkish president slammed Western countries for their fake sympathy toward Palestinian civilians.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, not seen in the picture, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 (Dimitris Papamitsos/Greek Prime Minister's Office via AP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has distinctly separated his position from that of Western countries concerning the Israeli aggression on Gaza, stating that Hamas is not a terrorist organization, rather it is a Liberation group defending their country and people.

Erdogan communicated his views firmly to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, advocating for an immediate ceasefire between the occupation entity and Palestinian Resistance factions. He urged Muslim countries to unite to establish enduring peace in the region.

"Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," Erdogan emphasized.

He also expressed strong criticism of Western powers for their endorsement of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, labeling their sympathies as "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud."

Erdogan’s remarks faced immediate backlash from Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who described them as "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," Salvini said in a note.

The Turkish president also condemned settlers' casualties resulting from the Al-Aqsa Flood operation that was launched on October 7 but demanded that the occupation entity act in a restrained manner.

Erdogan further revealed Ankara's feelings of betrayal by "Israel," accusing it of exploiting Turkey’s positive intentions. He mentioned the cancellation of his scheduled trip to "Tel Aviv" due to the ongoing aggression on Gaza.

The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip continues for the 19th consecutive day, with ongoing artillery and aerial bombardments, mainly targeting residential homes.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday that the number of martyrs has risen to 6,546, including 2,704 children, 1,584 women, and 364 elderly individuals. In addition, 17,439 citizens have been injured with various degrees of injuries reported since October 7.

The Ministry also said that the Israeli occupation committed 44 massacres in the past few hours, resulting in 756 martyrs, including 344 children, and 1,142 injuries.

The genocidal policy against Palestinians coupled with the deafening silence of the international community that now proves to be complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians holds thousands of people in Gaza hostages of the debris that fell on their heads.