Turkish President Erdogan to Host Hamas Leader Haniyeh Amidst Israel Tensions
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that he will be hosting Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Palestinian group Hamas, in Turkey this weekend.
Erdogan, who is an outspoken critic of Israel, made the announcement to lawmakers.
Their last meeting was in July 2023 in Ankara.
Erdogan has been a strong critic of Israel since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.
A conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 1,170 civilians, according to Israeli figures.
In response, Israel launched a ground and air offensive that reportedly killed over 33,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Hamas' health ministry.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has forged friendly ties with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, based in Qatar.
Erdogan has condemned Israel as a "terrorist state" and accused it of conducting a "genocide" in Gaza.
He has also referred to Hamas as "liberators" or "mujahideen" fighting for their land.