Turkish president rejects labeling of Hamas as a ‘terror group’

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his stance on Palestinian group Hamas and said he can “never accept” Hamas as a “terror group”.

“I stand by my position. No matter what anybody says, I can never accept Hamas as a terror group,” Erdogan said while speaking to journalists on board the presidential plane returning from Dubai, where he attended the COP28 climate summit.

Emphasizing Türkiye’s approach centered around seeking opportunities for permanent peace in the region, he said Ankara acts with the motto – “How can we find the opportunity for permanent peace again?”

“We have come to a point with our interlocutors that Gaza (issue) cannot be debated if there is no two-state solution,” he noted.

“If we prioritize a two-state solution, the Gaza (issue) and threats will disappear. The exclusion of Hamas is not a realistic scenario”, Erdogan added.

The Israeli army resumed bombing the Gaza Strip early Friday after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed and 589 injured in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also said that he expects the International Criminal Court (ICC) would ensure accountability for the “butchers of Gaza,” particularly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Erdogan emphasized the need for granting necessary punishments for those caught red-handed in the reported incidents in Gaza.

Condemning Israeli actions in Gaza, he said: “This is state terrorism. We cannot stay silent against this state terrorism.”

The Netanyahu administration’s massacre in Gaza is etched in history as a “black stain,” Erdogan said, adding that the countries unconditionally supporting this are “stained as well.”

The world will never forget the indifference shown by these states and international organizations, he added.

The humanitarian pause began on November 24 as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to temporarily halt fighting to allow hostage swaps and aid delivery.

More than 15,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7.