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Erdogan urges Islamic countries to step up efforts for Gaza ceasefire

During the meeting in Ankara, "mass killings committed by Israel" in the Palestinian territories

ISTANBUL, August 14. /TASS/. The international community, primarily the countries of the Islamic world, should step up efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara.

"During the meeting, mass killings committed by Israel in the Palestinian territories and steps to be taken to achieve a ceasefire <...> were discussed. President Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to support the just cause of Palestine and work to stop Israel. <...> He emphasized that all countries, especially Islamic states, should ramp up efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians," the Turkish leader's directorate of communications said in a release following the meeting.

The Palestinian leader arrived in Ankara from Moscow on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit. Erdogan said earlier in the day that Abbas would address the Turkish parliament on Thursday. The republic's parliament will have an emergency meeting on that day in support of Palestine. "Abbas will be our guest today, while tomorrow he will address the parliament. He will announce to the whole world Palestine's struggle for freedom. We will show the whole world that Abbas has the same right to speak in our parliament as [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has in the United States," the Turkish president said.

Turkish authorities condemned Netanyahu's speech to the US Congress on July 24 and invited Abbas to address the local parliament on August 15.