Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a liberation group waging a battle to protect its land.

According to Turkish media, In a speech to his party’s lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said Israel had taken advantage of Turkey’s good intentions and that he will not go to Israel as previously planned.

He also urged an immediate ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together for lasting peace, calling on world powers to pressure Israel to halt attacks.

Erdogan added that the Rafah border gate must be kept open for humanitarian aid and that prisoner exchanges should be concluded urgently.

The silence over the massacre in Gaza of those who stood against the Russian war on Ukraine is the most concrete expression of hypocrisy, he further said.

He also said that all parties in Palestine-Israel should take their fingers off the trigger, and declare a ceasefire immediately.

Erdogan said he was cancelling plans to visit Israel because of its “inhumane” war in Gaza.