Turkey appears to be in a quandary, not knowing how to position itself against the Islamic State (IS) as the jihadist group expands into the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria and draws closer to the Turkish border. Ankara, which has been keeping public attention focused on Gaza for weeks, is trying to downplay the growing regional threat from IS, but is clearly concerned.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan — who is expected to be elected president on Aug. 10 — remains reluctant to call the group a terrorist organization, ostensibly in an effort not to endanger the lives of 49 Turks taken hostage in Mosul. The government has imposed a news blackout over the hostage crisis, claiming it is necessary to facilitate ongoing negotiations for the release of the hostages. Opposition parties claim, however, that the move is only intended to prevent embarrassing reporting that will undermine Erdogan’s campaign for the presidency.

Tellingly, Erdogan has made Gaza a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, but has hardly mentioned IS and the barbarity this group is perpetrating against Muslims and others in Iraq and Syria. Asked in June why he refused to refer to it as a terrorist group, Erdogan retorted that no one should expect him to provoke IS.

“They expect us to make provocative statements regarding this group. They expect us to approach the fire with a stoker in hand,” he told officials from his Justice and Development Party, reminding them of the large number of Turkish hostages in the hands of IS.