“I CAN ONLY PRAY”
Family members of the hostages questioned why the assailant would goal staff in Türkiye – a rustic strongly supportive of the Palestinian trigger – to point out his solidarity with the folks of Gaza.
“He supposedly does this for Islam, however they’re those who hurt Islam essentially the most,” Sedat Degirmenci, whose son-in-law was taken hostage, informed AFP.
“When you do that for Palestine, go and struggle there,” added Cigdem Aydemir, the mom of a 26-year-old girl taken hostage on the plant.
Like different relations, Aydemir was following the hostage-taker’s Instagram account for updates in regards to the scenario.
The account turned inaccessible by Thursday night.
“What does my daughter must do with this?” mentioned Aydemir. “I can solely pray.”
The struggle in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s Oct 7 assault on Israel that resulted within the deaths of round 1,140 folks, largely civilians, in line with an AFP tally based mostly on official figures.
Militants additionally seized about 250 hostages. Israel says 132 stay in Gaza, together with no less than 29 people who find themselves believed to have been killed.
Following the deadliest assault in Israel’s historical past, its navy launched an offensive on Gaza. It has killed no less than 27,019 folks in Gaza, most of them ladies and youngsters, in line with the well being ministry within the Hamas-run territory.
ERDOGAN CRITICISM
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of many Muslim world’s harshest critics of Israel due to the large civilian demise toll from its marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas militants.
Erdogan has additionally accused the US of supporting “genocide” in Gaza.
Erdogan’s feedback mirror widespread anger throughout the predominantly Muslim however formally secular nation at the US for its conventional assist for Israel.
Tons of of protesters stormed a southeastern Turkish air base utilized by US and British forces on the eve of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s go to to Ankara in November.
Turkish on-line campaigns are additionally attempting to organise boycotts of US merchandise reminiscent of Coca-Cola and the espresso chain Starbucks.
