Hamas condemns Turkey-Israel normalization
Hamas has condemned Turkish-Israeli normalization, which raises questions on its impact on the good Turkey-Hamas relations and the residency of some of its leaders in its territory.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Hamas movement has spoken out against the recent Israeli-Turkish rapprochement.
In a tweet on Aug. 25, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said his movement condemns normalization between Turkey and Israel, adding that Hamas is not concerned with reports about Palestinian parties favoring this normalization.
Qassem’s comment came in response to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s remarks to the Turkish private broadcaster Haber Global on Aug. 23 in which he said, “Palestinian leaders, whether Fatah or Hamas leaders, want us to normalize ties with Israel. They inidicated that it is an important matter to them as well, and that this dialogue will serve the Palestinian cause.”
Israel and Turkey announced Aug. 17 that they will restore full diplomatic ties and reappoint respective ambassadors for the first time since the 2010 rupture triggered by the Israeli raid on the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara flotilla. The flotilla, loaded with humanitarian supplies, was headed to the Gaza Strip, which had been under Israeli siege since 2007, before Israeli naval forces raided the ships on May 31, 2010. The operation back then left 10 Turkish activists dead.
