Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is gearing up to launch a “global initiative” aimed at ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip and is on the verge of officially designating Israel as a war criminal, as reported by the pro-government newspaper Hurriyet.

Erdogan, who has previously endorsed Hamas as “freedom fighters,” is now taking steps to initiate a worldwide effort to secure a ceasefire in Israel, condemning what he perceives as war crimes against Palestine.

In a recent statement, Erdogan declared: “I will call each of the world leaders, negotiate with them and meet with them if necessary.”

This reflects his intention to collaborate with global leaders on a joint initiative specifically addressing the situation in Gaza.

Erdogan’s position on Hamas has caused a rift with NATO and European Union allies that have consistently supported Israel’s right to self-defense. (Related: Turkey’s Erdogan threatens WAR against Israel for their relentless BOMBING of Gaza Strip.)

The European Commission released a report highlighting “serious deficiencies” in Turkey’s democratic institutions, along with a “deterioration of human and fundamental rights” within the country.

Erdogan’s assertion that Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but a group of mujahideen defending their land, did not sit well with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

“Hamas is a despicable terrorist organization worse than ISIS,” said MFA spokesman Lior Haiat. “Even the Turkish president’s attempt to defend the terrorist organization and his inciting words will not change the horrors that the whole world has seen.”

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