Hamas publicly expressed gratitude towards Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), for stating: “Hamas is not a terrorist organisation.”
Hamas described Bahçeli’s remarks as valuable and principled, and “an extension of the noble Turkish people’s unique position on supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation and independence.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul. The meeting, primarily centred on ceasefire and humanitarian issues in Gaza, took place shortly before a delay in a planned White House visit by Erdoğan, originally set for 9 May.
The postponement, officially attributed to scheduling issues, was speculated to be indirectly caused by a lack of formal approval for the visit, possibly influenced by Erdoğan’s overt engagement with Hamas.
In contrast, a Kurdish National Congress delegation, led by Ahmet Karamus, engaged in fruitful diplomatic discussions in the US, presenting solutions and receiving positive feedback, as they continue efforts in New York.
