Erdogan Defends Hamas as Mujahideen and Urges Ceasefire in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a group of mujahideen defending their homeland, sparking condemnation from Israel. Erdogan's remarks came during a speech to his AK Party faction in parliament, where he criticized Israel's military campaign against Hamas. Israeli officials rejected Erdogan's comments, with a foreign ministry spokesman calling Hamas a "despicable terrorist organization worse than ISIS." Erdogan's defense of Hamas strains efforts to improve ties between Turkey and Israel, which have been strained since a 2010 commando raid on a Gaza-bound ship.