Turkish leader condemns Haniyeh assassination, thousands of pro-Hamas supporters march in Istanbul

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blasted the “perfidious assassination” of his “brother” Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Hamas terrorist organization political leader who was killed on Wednesday in the Iranian capital Tehran.

“May God have mercy on my brother Ismail Haniyeh, fallen in martyrdom after this odious attack,” Erdoğan wrote on 𝕏. He condemned what he termed “Zionist barbarity,” however, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the elimination of the Hamas leader.

“This shameful act aims to sabotage the Palestinian cause, the glorious Gazan resistance and our Palestinian brothers’ just fight, and to intimidate Palestinians,” the Turkish leader claimed.

On Wednesday, thousands of anti-Israel and pro-Hamas protesters marched through Istanbul to show their support for Hamas and to pay respects to Haniyeh.

“Martyr Haniyeh, Jerusalem is our cause and your path is our path,” read some of the posters held by demonstrators. Participants chanted “murderer Israel, get out of Palestine” and “thousands of greetings from Istanbul to the resistance in Gaza” while waving Turkish and Palestinian Authority flags. AFP journalists also noted that the demonstrators burned at least one Israeli flag during the event.

“I am here because Israel martyred the representative of the Palestinian people,” said one demonstrator.

Under Erdoğan's leadership, Turkey has developed close ties with Hamas and other radical Islamist organizations. Haniyeh and other top Hamas leaders have spent a significant amount of time in Turkey, which has led to strained relations between Turkey and Israel. The Turkish president has refused to label Hamas as a terrorist organization and has not condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion and attack on southern Israeli border communities, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 and more than 250 hostages.

In March, Erdoğan compared Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, who ordered the Holocaust of six million Jews.

In a party speech earlier this week, the Turkish leader threatened to invade Israel on behalf of Palestinians.

“We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these things to Palestine,” Erdoğan stated. “Just as we entered [Nagorno-] Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do. Only we must be strong.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz quickly responded to the Erdoğan's threat by calling for the expulsion of Turkey from the Western NATO defense alliance.

“In light of Turkish President Erdoğan's threats to invade Israel and his dangerous rhetoric, Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed diplomats… to urgently engage with all NATO members, calling for the condemnation of Turkey and demanding its expulsion from the regional alliance,” Katz stated.

Dutch right-wing leader Geert Wilders agreed, stating: "Islamofascist Erdoğan threatens to invade Israel. This guy is totally nuts. Turkey should be kicked out of NATO," Wilders stated.