UPDATE - Turkish President Erdogan extends condolences to Hamas leader over death of family members in Israeli strike

ADDS REMARKS BY TURKISH VICE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT’S CHIEF ADVISOR

By Seda Sevencan and Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye’s president extended his condolences to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, over the deaths of several of his family members in an Israeli airstrike, the Turkish Communications Directorate said Wednesday.

During the phone call, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Israel will be held accountable before the law for its crimes against humanity.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also condemned the attack and conveyed his condolences to Haniyeh.

”The Israeli administration will eventually be held accountable for these inhumane attacks under international law,” Yilmaz said on X.

He urged the international community to make “sincere efforts” for a cease-fire and establish lasting peace “before more innocent civilians are killed.”

Erdogan’s chief advisor Akif Cagatay Kilic also denounced the attack and offered his condolences.

”I condemn Israel, which continues to massacre innocent people, including children and civilians, even on this holy day,” Kilic said on X.

Three sons of Haniyeh along with several of his grandchildren were killed Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

The airstrike targeted a car in which members of the Haniyeh family were traveling in the Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza City as they were on their way to a celebration to mark the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, killing three of his sons and four of his grandchildren.

Medical sources told Anadolu that Haniyeh's sons Hazem, Amir and Mohammed were killed along with several of their children while a number of people were injured.

Israel has waged a military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed around 1,200 people.

Around 33,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began.​​​​​​​

It has also imposed a crippling blockade on the seaside enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while much of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has urged it to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.