ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday urged an immediate cease-fire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together for lasting peace, calling on world powers to pressure Israel to halt attacks.
In a speech to his party’s lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said the Rafah border gate must be kept open for humanitarian aid and that prisoner exchanges should be concluded urgently.
He said he was canceling plans to visit Israel because of its “inhumane” war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
“We had a project to go to Israel, but it was canceled, we will not go,” Erdogan told ruling party lawmakers in parliament, adding that he viewed Hamas as “liberators” fighting for their own land.
He added that Israel had taken advantage of Turkiye’s good intentions and that he will not go to Israel as previously planned.
Agencies
