Erdogan’s son speaks at pro-Hamas rally in Istanbul: Israel ‘treacherously murdered’ Haniyeh

ISTANBUL — Thousands of demonstrators gather in Istanbul to denounce the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran earlier this week.

Haniyeh was buried on Friday in Qatar, where he had been based. Israel, accused by Hamas, Iran and others of the attack, has not directly commented on it.

Gathered at the call of several conservative and pro-government associations, demonstrators wave Turkish and Palestinian flags, as well as portraits of Haniyeh in front of the former Byzantine basilica Hagia Sophia.

“Israel has murdered an important hero in a way that suits it: treacherously,” says Bilal Erdogan, the son of the Turkish head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He adds: “Haniyeh had called on millions of people to demonstrate (for Gaza). We respect his last wish.”

On Wednesday, the Turkish leader condemned the “perfidious assassination” of his “brother” Haniyeh, which he said was the work of “Zionist barbarity.”

Haniyeh, who frequently resided in Turkey before the war in Gaza, was received in Istanbul in April by Erdogan, a fervent supporter of Hamas, which he describes as a “liberation movement.”