President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, are set to hold talks in Türkiye on April 20, broadcaster NTV said on Wednesday.
“I will host the leader of the Palestinian cause at the weekend. We will discuss a number of issues,” Erdoğan earlier told lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Parliament, once again calling Hamas a “liberation movement.”
“We are well aware of the price of saying this, but the world must know the truth,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye refuses to classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, unlike some European countries and the United States. It has kept contact with the Palestinian group over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel’s lawless attacks, cease-fire and hostage release discussions.
It has also sent its condolences to Haniyeh after he lost three of his sons and some of his grandchildren while visiting relatives at a refugee camp in Gaza last week.
Nearly 33,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza and nearly 76,500 have been injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Türkiye recently announced a series of restrictions on exports to Israel and said they would continue until Tel Aviv lets humanitarian aid in the blockaded enclave.
Hamas, which is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages, demands an end to Israel’s ongoing onslaught on Gaza in return for any hostage deal with Tel Aviv.
Be First to Comment