Israel is a “terror state,” according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who also accused the country of waging an extermination campaign against the Palestinians living in the beleaguered Gaza Strip.
Israel is implementing a strategy of total destruction of a city and its people by deliberately targeting schools, mosques, churches, hospitals, markets, buildings, and streets,” Erdoğan told members of his Islamic-conservative ruling AKP party in Ankara on Wednesday.
The sharp verbal attacks come shortly before the Turkish leader is to visit Berlin on Friday.
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They follow previous statements from him criticising Israel and supporting the Islamist militant group Hamas, which, together with others, attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 and taking about 240 into Gaza as hostages.
Israel has responded with a significant ground offensive and several airstrikes on Gaza.
Mr. Erdoğan went on to label Israel as a “terror state” and maintain that it has “limitless support from America and the Western countries” to carry out “non-stop massacres” in Gaza.
Although Hamas has been labeled a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, and the EU, Erdoğan has referred to the group as freedom fighters.
dpa/NAN
