Türkiye urges Israel, Hamas to halt attacks amid tensions
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chairs a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, Oct. 9, 2023. (AA Photo)


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on Israel and Hamas to immediately halt attacks, especially those targeting civilians.

Speaking at a news conference following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara on Monday, Erdoğan highlighted the importance of protecting innocent civilians, amid an escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"Destruction of Gaza by air, ground attacks, the bombing of mosques, and deaths of innocent civilians is never acceptable," Erdoğan said.

He continued by saying that Türkiye calls on Israel to stop its bombing of Palestinian lands and urges Palestinians to stop harassing civilian settlements in Israel.

He noted that Türkiye is also making necessary preparations to send vital humanitarian aid supplies to the people of Gaza.

"There will be no peace in the region without an independent, sovereign Palestinian state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," he added, reiterating Türkiye's stance in favor of a two-state solution.

Meanwhile, the president said Türkiye will never allow the formation of a terror corridor along its borders, and that Ankara's fight against terrorism will continue in a resolute manner.

He said that Turkish security forces eliminated 162 PKK/YPG terrorists and destroyed 194 terrorist targets in northern Iraq and Syria in the most recent operations launched following the thwarted terrorist attack on Interior Ministry headquarters in the capital Ankara last week.