UPDATE - Türkiye declares 3 days of national mourning for Gaza attack victims: President Erdogan

ADDS LOWERING OF TURKISH FLAGS

By Anadolu Staff

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye has declared three days of national mourning in honor of those Palestinians who died in recent attacks on Gaza, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday.

A national mourning period has been declared as “a requirement of our respect for thousands of martyrs, most of whom are children and innocent civilians,” Erdogan said on X.

“As Türkiye, we feel the great suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters in our hearts,” Erdogan added.

In the wake of the declaration, Turkish flags on all public buildings and foreign representations across the country have been lowered to half-staff.

Earlier, Egypt declared three days of national mourning for the victims of an Israeli airstrike on a hospital in Gaza.

Gaza is currently experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel and medical supplies are running out.

At least 471 people were killed and 342 injured in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza late Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday. Israel has denied responsibility for the air raid.

The conflict began on Oct. 7 when the Palestinian Hamas group initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to ease the “epic human suffering.”

At least 3,478 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, while more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed since the start of the operation.