Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called on Israel to “stop this madness immediately” and “stop its attacks against Gaza” in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter).
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“The Israeli bombings that intensified on Gaza last night once again targeted women, children and innocent civilians, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Israel must immediately stop this madness and end its attacks,” the Turkish leader said.
#BREAKING Israel must immediately get out of its 'state of madness' and stop attacks on Gaza, Turkish President Erdogan says after expanded Israeli operations in territory pic.twitter.com/YPDCbn20OV
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 28, 2023
He also invited people to a rally organized by his party in Istanbul on Saturday, “where we will reiterate loudly and clearly that we stand with the Palestinian people against the persecution of Israel.”
The Turkish leader announced his participation in this meeting, entitled “Great Rally for Palestine,” which will take place at the site of the former Ataturk Airport in Istanbul.
In recent days, Mr. Erdogan has toughened his tone regarding the bombings carried out by Israel in Gaza in retaliation for the bloody Hamas attack on October 7, which Israelis said killed 1,400 people.
He announced on Wednesday that he was foregoing all his travel plans to Israel and stigmatized the West’s inability to stop the war in Gaza.
“Hamas is not a terrorist group, it is a group of liberators protecting their country,” he also said, drawing Israel’s ire.
After calling for restraint in the days following the massacre of Israelis by Hamas, the Turkish president changed his tone and denounced a “genocide” after the attack on a hospital in Gaza last week, which he immediately attributed to Israel – without ever to return there It.