"The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) loads humanitarian aid supplies onto a vessel for Gaza at the Port of Mersin, southern Mersin province, Türkiye, March 28, 2024. (AA Photo)"
"Ankara can lead efforts to halt the ongoing war in Gaza that has cost the lives of thousands, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said Monday.
"Türkiye can lead an Islamic coalition to ensure halting the war (on Gaza)," Abu Zuhri told Anadolu Agency (AA).
"We appreciate Türkiye's diplomatic and relief efforts and call for its development as we are facing a Western coalition targeting Gaza," he underlined, saying Gaza is facing a "fierce" Israeli war in which Tel Aviv is using all types of weapons.
"Türkiye is a developed and pioneering country in the region and can do a lot," the Hamas leader said.
Abu Zuhri termed as "distinguished" the Turkish relief aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.
"There is an official Turkish willingness to increase the quantities of aid and there is coordination with the Turkish brothers in this regard," he added.
The Hamas leader praised the Turkish position, which backs the Palestinian legitimate right to resistance.
"This position contributes to blocking any U.S. and Western attempts to link Hamas with terrorism," he said. "This position is important and has greatly served the group and the Palestinian people."
Last October, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Hamas is not a terrorist organization but rather a "liberation movement" fighting to defend Palestinian land.
Regarding Hamas' call for Türkiye to be among the guarantor states to any cease-fire agreement with Israel, Abu Zuhri stressed that "the (Israeli) occupation doesn't abide by agreements."
"For that reason, it is necessary to have parties that can guarantee the implementation of the agreement," he added.
A new round of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel started in Egypt on Sunday to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.
Abu Zuhri said Hamas has shown flexibility during the Cairo talks.
"The Israeli occupation does not respond to any demands raised by the resistance or our people, especially halting the war on Gaza," he said.
"The occupation insists on limiting the talks to the exchange of prisoners and allowing a very limited return of some displaced Gazans to the north ... This cannot lead to a successful agreement," Abu Zuhri added.
Hamas, which is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages, demands an end to Israel's ongoing onslaught on Gaza in return for any hostage deal with Tel Aviv."
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