From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Erdogan: Hamas has ‘clearly demonstrated its commitment to peace’; Israel ‘went beyond what Hitler did in terms of genocide’
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Hamas has “clearly demonstrated its commitment to peace by responding very positively to Trump’s peace plan,” says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an address to AK Party members in Ankara.
“The talks in Sharm el Sheikh are of critical importance,” he says. “We hope to receive good news.”
Erdogan, a Hamas backer who has led criticism of Israel on the world stage, implicitly criticizes US President Donald Trump’s plan for being too slanted in Israel’s favor: “Peace is not a bird with a single wing. It is neither just, nor correct, nor a realistic approach to place the entire burden of peace on Hamas and the Palestinians. A ceasefire and a just peace are the most reasonable choices.”
He says that Israeli attacks are “the biggest obstacle currently standing in the way of the path to peace.”
Erdogan also accuses Israel of being worse than the Nazis: “For the last two years, they indeed even went beyond what Hitler did in terms of genocide.”
The Times of Israel Community.