Hamas' Haniyeh Thanks Turkey For Supporting Palestinians

Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Sunday paid tribute to Turkey for its support of the Palestinian people through its aid organizations.



"We would like to voice appreciation for the Turkish people and government as well as Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) for supporting the Palestinian people," Haniyeh told The Anadolu Agency on Sunday.



Hailing what he described as "holy" and "close" ties between the Palestinian and Turkish peoples, Haniyeh said the Turkish support has proven vital in easing the suffering of the residents of the blockaded Gaza Strip.



"Turkey has not spared money or sacrifices in efforts to break the [Israeli] siege on Gaza," he added.



He also thanked the Turkish aid organizations for extending financial support to 2,000 poor families in Gaza.



Several Turkish charities and humanitarian organizations have opened branches in the Gaza Strip to offer aid to struggling residents of the war-battered coastal territory.



The Palestinian Social Affairs Ministry said recently that the number of poor families in the Gaza Strip had doubled – from 60,000 to 120,000 – in the wake of Israel's recent offensive.



Israel's 51-day onslaught, which ended on August 26, left more than 2,160 Gazans dead and 11,000 injured, while partially or completely destroying thousands of residential units across the embattled strip.



Launched with the stated aim of halting rocket fire from Gaza, the offensive ended on August 26 with an indefinite cease-fire celebrated by Palestinian resistance faction Hamas as a strategic victory.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Gazze