New Delhi: Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people, reported Reuters.
"Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he said, using an Arabic word denoting those who fight for their faith.
Addressing legislators from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan also urged for an immediate ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together to secure a lasting peace in the region, reported Reuters.
Slamming the Western powers for voicing support for Israel's retaliation against Hamas, Erdogan said, "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud".
According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan said that before October 7, when the conflict erupted, he had planned to visit Israel but then canceled his plans.
Noting that Turkey has no problem with the Israeli state, Erdogan said his country will never approve of it committing atrocities.
Several of Turkey's NATO allies consider Hamas a terrorist group, and Erdogan's comments drew a swift rebuke from Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who said they were "grave and disgusting and did not help with de-escalation".
"I will propose to my colleague (Foreign Minister Antonio) Tajani to send a formal protest and to summon the Turkish Ambassador," Salvini said in a note.
Turkey has condemned the civilian deaths that resulted from the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7 but also urged Israel to react in a restrained way.
It has since strongly condemned Israel's heavy bombardment of Gaza while offering to mediate in the conflict and sending several shipments of humanitarian aid.
Turkey, which hosts members of Hamas on its territory, backs a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.