Erdogan: Hamas Fights in Defense of "Anatolia"

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Wednesday that "if Israel is not stopped, it will sooner or later aspire to the lands of Anatolia," adding that the Hamas movement is "the first line of defense for Anatolia in Gaza." Erdogan asserted: "Do not think that Israel will stop at Gaza. If this terror state is not halted, it will eventually covet the lands of Anatolia based on delusions of the promised land." The Turkish president noted that "what is happening in the Gaza Strip is something we have never seen before; even Hitler did not commit what has been done in the Palestinian territory. Israel is not only attacking the Palestinians in Gaza; it is also attacking us." Erdogan emphasized that his country will continue to "stand by Hamas, which fights for the independence of its land and also defends Anatolia."