Erdoğan tells Pope Israel's bombardment of Gaza is a massacre

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the Israeli-Hamas war with Pope Francis on Thursday, telling the head of the Catholic Church that Israel's attacks on Gaza have "reached the level of a massacre" and that the international community's silence was a "shame for humanity."

Erdoğan was also quoted as telling Francis during their telephone conversation that everyone should support efforts to deliver "uninterrupted aid to innocent civilians" in Gaza. The statement from Turkey's presidential communications directorate was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Erdoğan reiterated Turkey's position that a permanent solution to the conflict can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.