Türkiye declares national mourning for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the decision on Thursday, emphasizing the country's solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

"To show our support for the Palestinian cause and our solidarity with our Palestinian brothers, a one-day national mourning has been declared tomorrow (Friday, August 2) due to the martyrdom of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh," Erdoğan stated.

"I remember Ismail Haniyeh and all Palestinian martyrs with mercy and extend my condolences to the Palestinian people on behalf of myself and my nation," he added.

Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike early Wednesday in Tehran, a day after attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Although Israel has not officially commented on the assassination, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at Israel's involvement.

The assassination comes amid ongoing international condemnation of Israel’s offensive on Gaza, which has continued since an October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. Local health authorities report that nearly 39,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 91,000 injured. The conflict has left Gaza in ruins and under a crippling blockade, severely limiting access to food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered an immediate halt to its military operations in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge before the city was invaded on May 6. (ILKHA)