Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged Palestinians to unite amid Israel’s war in Gaza following hours-long talks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday, his office said, Ednews reports via The Guardian.
Erdoğan has failed to establish a foothold as a mediator in the Gaza conflict that has roiled the region, with the Hamas-run Palestinian territory bracing for a new Israeli offensive and a reported Israeli attack on Iran.
Erdoğan said Palestinian unity was “vital” following the talks at the Dolmabahçe palace, which Turkish media reports said lasted more than two and a half hours.
“The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity,” Erdoğan said, according to a Turkish presidency statement.