Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in his strongest comments yet on the Gaza conflict, said on Wednesday the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organization but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people.
Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan also called for an immediate ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together to secure a lasting peace in the region.
"Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a liberation group, mujahideen waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he said.
Israel: Erdogan's attempt to defend Hamas does not change anything
Israel condemned Erdogan's statements on Wednesday afternoon, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson writing that "even the Turkish president's attempt to defend [Hamas]... will not change the horrors that the whole world has seen and the unequivocal fact [that Hamas is ISIS.]
"Israel wholeheartedly rejects the Turkish President’s harsh words about the terrorist organization Hamas," Lior Haiat wrote on X. "Hamas is a despicable terrorist organization worse than ISIS that brutally and intentionally murders babies, children, women and the elderly."
Erdogan also slammed Western powers that have voiced support for Israel's retaliation against Hamas, saying "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud."
Many of Turkey's NATO allies consider Hamas a terrorist group, and Erdogan's comments drew a swift rebuke from Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who said they were "grave and disgusting and did not help with de-escalation."
"I will propose to my colleague (Foreign Minister Antonio) Tajani to send a formal protest and to summon the Turkish Ambassador," Salvini said in a note.
Erdogan previously condemned October 7 massacre
Turkey has condemned the civilian deaths that resulted from Hamas's October 7 massacre in southern Israel but also urged Israel to react in a restrained way.
It has since strongly condemned Israel's heavy bombardment of Gaza, which is controlled by the militant Islamist group, while offering to mediate in the conflict and sending several shipments of humanitarian aid.
Erdogan accused Israel of taking advantage of Turkey's good intentions. Turkey had previously been working to mend long-strained ties with Israel and Erdogan said he had now canceled a planned trip to Israel because of the events in Gaza.
Turkey, which hosts members of Hamas on its territory, backs a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.