Haniyeh's assassination shows Israel doesn’t want ceasefire — Erdogan

Türkiye’s president has once again called upon the international community to stop Israel’s dangerous escalation of its military aggression, warning that it could engulf the region into a wider and even more destructive conflict.

In a meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Tel Aviv is attempting to escalate tensions in the region through its attacks on both Palestinian territories and Lebanon, said the Turkish Communications Directorate in a statement.

“President Erdogan stated that Israel's assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh has once again demonstrated Israel's lack of intention to engage in a ceasefire."

Israel has not publically acknowledged killing Haniyeh in an attack in Tehran last week, but reports say that Tel Aviv was behind the assassination and even informed the US about it.

Erdogan said Türkiye is making efforts to bring lasting peace to the region and it will work closely with Doha to achieve the goal.

During the meeting, Erdogan and Al Thani also discussed relations between the two nations as well as global and regional issues.

Expressing Türkiye’s “full commitment” to advance its cooperation with Qatar in economic relations, as well as in the political, military, commercial, and cultural fields, the Turkish president said future steps will reinforce solidarity between the two countries.