From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Erdogan tells pope that Israel committing a ‘massacre’ in Gaza, world silence a ‘shame’
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discusses the Israeli-Hamas war with Pope Francis, telling the head of the Catholic Church that Israel’s strikes on Gaza have “reached the level of a massacre” and that the international community’s silence was a “shame for humanity.”
Erdogan is also quoted as telling Francis during their telephone conversation that everyone should support efforts to deliver “uninterrupted aid to innocent civilians” in Gaza. The statement from Turkey’s presidential communications directorate was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Erdogan reiterates Turkey’s position that a permanent solution to the conflict can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The Turkish leader, whose country recently rehabilitated ties with Israel, has increased the tone of his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Yesterday, Erdogan described Hamas as a group fighting for liberation — and not a terrorist organization, as it has been designated by the West. He also said he has shelved plans to visit Israel.
There was no mention of Hamas’s vicious assault on Israel, which killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians.
The Times of Israel Community.