Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that more than 1,000 members of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas were being treated in hospitals across Turkey as he reiterated his stance that it was a "resistance movement."
A Turkish official later said Erdogan had "misspoke" and meant that Gazans more generally were being treated in Turkey.
"If you call Hamas a 'terrorist organization,' this would sadden us," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Ankara after Mitsotakis had referred to Hamas as such.
Hamas are "resistance fighters"
"We don't deem Hamas a terrorist organization... More than 1,000 members of Hamas are under treatment in hospitals across our country," Erdogan said.
A Turkish official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, later said that Erdogan had meant to refer to Palestinians from Hamas-run Gaza in general, rather than Hamas members.
"President Erdogan misspoke, he meant 1,000 Gazans are under treatment, not Hamas members," a Turkish official said.
Earlier today, Erdogan accused Israel of genocide, saying "Netanyahu has reached a level that would make Hitler jealous with his genocidal methods."