Turkish President Condemns Israel. Says Hamas Are A Group Of Freedom/ Mujahideen Warriors

 

Reuters: Turkey's Erdogan says Hamas is not terrorist organisation, cancels trip to Israel 

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in his strongest comments yet on the Gaza conflict, said on Wednesday the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands. 

NATO member Turkey condemned the civilian deaths caused by Hamas's Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel, but also urged Israeli forces to act with restraint in their response. Ankara has strongly criticised Israel's bombardment of Gaza. 

"Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, using an Arabic word denoting those who fight for their faith.  

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WNU Editor: So much for reports a few days ago that Erdogan was positioning himself to be a mediator .... Eying Gaza mediator role, Turkey cools Hamas ties, Erdogan restrains rhetoric (Al-Monitor).  

Update: Israel has responded to Turkish President Erdogan's remarks .... IDF responds to Erdogan: What Hamas did is worse than terror (Jerusalem Post). 

Turkish President Condemns Israel. Says Hamas Are A Group Of Freedom/ Mujahideen Warriors  

Hamas 'are not terrorists' says Turkey's President Erdogan -- Euronews  

Erdogan says cancelling plans to visit Israel -- France 24 

Turkey’s Erdogan scraps Israel trip over ‘inhumane’ Gaza war -- Al Jazeera  

Mediator no more: Erdoğan takes aim at Israel, backing Hamas ‘freedom’ fighters -- Politico