On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed staunch support for Hamas during a parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, describing the organization as fighting for the independence of its land and defending Anatolia.
Erdogan warned that Israel’s actions in Gaza might extend beyond, suggesting that the country harbors expansive territorial ambitions that could threaten Anatolia.
He labeled Israel a “rogue state” and asserted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others involved would be held accountable for their actions, which he referred to as genocide.
Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s commitment to the Palestinian cause on Nakba Day, the day Palestinians commemorate the “Day of Catastrophe” related to their displacement that began in 1948.
He vowed that Turkey would work to ensure that those responsible for what he called genocide would face justice.
The remembrance of Nakba Day involves various events worldwide, acknowledging the ongoing impact of the historical event which saw the displacement of Palestinians.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, approximately 134,000 Palestinians and Arabs have been killed since 1948 in related conflicts. The report was released as part of the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, a period which coincides with continued severe conflict in the Gaza Strip, initiated on October 7, resulting in over 35,000 Palestinian casualties as reported by local health officials.
