Turkish Member of Parliament, Hasan Bitmez, a member of the Felicity Party, reportedly suffered a heart attack while delivering a speech on the conflict with Hamas. According to Jerusalem Post, Bitmez concluded his address with the words, "You will not escape the wrath of Allah. I salute you all," before collapsing.
Promptly responding to the situation, fellow parliamentarians rushed to assist Bitmez. Dr Turhan Çömez, a licensed surgeon and MP, initiated CPR on the Parliament floor, with others offering additional aid, reported the Jerusalemn Post.
Bitmez was then carried out on a stretcher, still receiving CPR from Dr Çömez, and promptly transported to the hospital. Turkish Health Minister Dr Fahrettin Koca posted on X (formerly Twitter), announced that Bitmez underwent angiography and was admitted to intensive care. Reports from BBC Turkish described Bitmez's condition as "extremely critical and serious", noting that he reportedly has diabetes.
"The condition of Saadet Party Kocaeli Deputy Hasan Bitmez, who collapsed during the Budget debate in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, remains serious. Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu shared the message that Bitmez is receiving intensive care and his condition 'continues to be serious', the BBC report stated.
According to BBC, the 53-year-old Bitmez collapsed to the ground at the end of his speech during the session on Tuesday. He also hit his head on the marble floor when he fell, near the rostrum.
Bitmez, who was taken to Bilkent City Hospital by ambulance, underwent an angiography that showed that two of his main arteries were completely blocked. "After the intervention that followed, when no results were obtained, he was connected to a heart-lung machine. He is currently sustaining his vital functions with the heart-lung machine," Fahrettin Koca was quoted as saying by BBC. Bitmez, who is still in a life-threatening condition, can be kept breathing with the help of an artificial lung and heart device.
Bitmez, a member of the Islamist Felicity Party, had been criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. He asserted that the Turkish government bore direct responsibility for every Israeli bomb dropped on Gaza. The Felicity Party, an Islamist group, frequently criticizes the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for its perceived "moderate" stance on Gaza.