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Türkiye to Continue Support for Palestinians Ahead of Ramadan, Says President Erdogan

Eskisehir, January 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: Türkiye will persist in its support for Palestinians as the country approaches the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, reaffirming its dedication to their cause, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His remarks were made on Saturday during the AK Party’s 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Eskisehir, northwestern Türkiye.

“We will once again mobilize all our resources ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, just as we stood by our Palestinian brothers for 15 months during Israel’s genocidal war,” Erdogan stated. Ramadan this year is expected to occur in March. Türkiye’s support for Palestine has been a constant throughout the ongoing conflict with Israel, which has escalated in recent months.

The comments came amid a ceasefire agreement between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel, which entered its first six-week phase on January 19. This truce temporarily halts the violent conflict that has claimed the lives of over 47,000 Palestinians, many of whom are women and children, and injured more than 111,000 since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023.

On the same day, Hamas handed over four female Israeli soldiers as part of a prisoner exchange under the ceasefire agreement, marking a significant development in the ongoing negotiations.

In a separate statement, President Erdogan addressed the tragic fire that occurred earlier this week at a ski resort in Bolu, northwestern Türkiye, which resulted in the deaths of at least 78 people. “All steps are being taken without compromise to ensure those who inflicted great pain on our nation are held accountable in a court of law,” he said.

The fire, which broke out in the restaurant area of the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel on Tuesday, rapidly spread through the building, devastating the structure and leading to a substantial loss of life. Turkish authorities, including Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc, have launched a comprehensive investigation, with a team of six prosecutors and a five-member expert committee assigned to determine the cause of the blaze and hold responsible parties accountable.