Erdoğan defends Hamas, critiques Western stance on Palestinian struggle

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reiterated his position on Hamas, describing it as a resistance movement rather than a terrorist organisation.

In an interview with Fox News, Erdoğan was asked directly whether he considers Hamas a terrorist group, a question he recalled having been asked previously during a visit to the United States roughly twenty years ago.

"About twenty years ago, when I was travelling in the United States, I was asked this question again, and at that time I replied: I do not consider Hamas to be a terrorist organisation. On the contrary, I consider it a resistance movement. Hamas does not have serious weapons or significant capabilities. They use what little they have to try to defend themselves," Erdoğan said.

The Turkish president’s latest remarks were made in the context of the UN General Assembly in New York and just ahead of his scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump. Erdoğan has long expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause, positioning Türkiye as a defender of Palestinian interests both at the UN and within Islamic organisations. Ankara views Hamas’ armed actions as part of the struggle for independence and resistance against Israeli occupation.

However, Erdoğan’s perspective contrasts sharply with that of the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and several other countries, where Hamas is officially designated as a terrorist organisation. This designation is based on numerous attacks targeting Israeli civilians and military personnel, as well as rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip. Israel considers Hamas a direct threat to its national security and routinely conducts military operations against its infrastructure.

Erdoğan’s statements come amid the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the intensifying military operations in the Gaza Strip. Since Hamas’s large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the region has experienced one of the most severe crises in decades.

Israeli authorities reported more than 1,200 deaths and hundreds of hostages, while the Israel Defence Forces launched Operation Iron Swords, targeting sites across the Gaza Strip. 

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 65,000, with tens of thousands more injured.

By Tamilla Hasanova