Turkey’s Erdogan defends Hamas, claims over 1K members are at his country’s hospitals

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly defended the Palestinian group Hamas, stating that it is not a terrorist organization but a resistance movement that fights for the liberation of the Palestinian people. He has alleged that over 1,000 Hamas members are currently receiving medical treatment in Turkish hospitals.

Since coming to power in 2003, Erdogan’s government has sought to build closer ties with the Palestinian group that governs the Gaza Strip, prompting criticism from Israel and its allies who classify Hamas as a