UPDATES WITH MORE INFORMATION ON MEETING
By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) – Meeting with the head of Hamas, the Turkish president on Saturday stressed the need to prevent recent developments in Israel’s tension with Iran from benefiting Tel Aviv and to instead keep the focus on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “assessing tensions between Israel and Iran, emphasized the need to prevent events from bolstering Israel and stressed the importance of refocusing attention on Gaza” so the West continues to question Israel's attacks on Gaza, said the Turkish Communications Directorate on X.
Meeting in Istanbul, Erdogan and Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh discussed Israel's months-long continuing offensive on Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip, the directorate added.
Erdogan said Israel will eventually and inevitably pay the price for its oppression of Palestinians, adding that Türkiye will continue to expose Israel’s massacres in Gaza on all platforms.
Erdogan added that all Türkiye’s efforts are dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, calling this the key to lasting peace in the region.
“President Erdogan said in the meeting that Türkiye continues its humanitarian aid to Palestine to alleviate some of its suffering,” the directorate said.
“He noted that over 45,000 tons of humanitarian aid have been sent to the region so far (since last October), and a series of sanctions have been implemented against Israel, including restrictions on trade,” it added.
- Unity, solidarity stressed
Erdogan said Ankara continues its diplomatic efforts to draw the attention of the international community to the oppression faced by Palestinians.
He underlined the urgent need for an immediate and lasting cease-fire to end the violence, highlighting it at every opportunity.
Stating that the strongest response and path to victory against Israel lies in unity and solidarity, Erdogan underscored the vital importance of unity among Palestinians during this process.
He also highlighted the need for further explanation of Palestine's just cause and truths against Israel, which is working to mislead the international public.
During the meeting, Erdogan also extended his condolences to Haniyeh for the loss of his children and grandchildren in an Israeli attack in Gaza 10 days ago, during the recent Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
At the meeting, Erdogan was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization head Ibrahim Kalin, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, and his top advisors Akif Cagatay Kilic and Safer Turan.
Flouting an International Court of Justice provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 77,000 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas which killed some 1,200 people.
The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.