President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared three days of national mourning in remembrance of Palestinians killed in recent Gaza violence on Wednesday.
Erdogan designated a national mourning period as “a requirement of our respect for thousands of martyrs, the majority of whom are children and innocent civilians,” according to X.
“As Türkiye, we feel the great suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters in our hearts,” the prime minister said.
Following the statement, Turkish flags were lowered to half-staff on all public buildings and foreign representatives across the country.
Egypt has previously announced three days of national mourning for the victims of an Israeli bombing on a Gaza hospital.
Gaza is currently undergoing a severe humanitarian catastrophe, with no electricity and a severe shortage of water, food, fuel, and medical supplies.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 471 people were killed and 342 were injured in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza late Tuesday. Israel has denied any involvement in the air raid.
On October 7, the Palestinian Hamas group launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that comprised rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. According to the statement, the raid was in revenge for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Following that, the Israeli military started Operation Swords of Iron on Hamas targets in Gaza.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has urged for a quick humanitarian cease-fire to alleviate the “epic human suffering.”
At least 3,478 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, while over 1,400 Israelis have died since the operation began.