Erdogan warns of 'serious consequences' if Israel restricts Ramadan access

On Tuesday, Erdogan spoke at a joint press conference with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara. "We convey our message to the appropriate authorities about the need to prevent provocations ahead of the approaching month of Ramadan," said the Turkish leader.

"The demand by radical Israeli politicians to limit Muslims' access to the Temple Mount is complete nonsense. The consequences of such a step will undoubtedly be very serious," Erdogan announced.

Negotiations are ongoing

For weeks, international negotiations have been underway over an agreement to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip before the start of Ramadan. Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant stated that Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas plan to use Ramadan for their own purposes.

According to Galant, Islamic militants want to carry out the second phase of a plan that began on October 7, 2023 - it was then that a tragic attack by Hamas on Israel occurred.

"We cannot give Hamas what it has not been able to achieve since the beginning of the war," Galant conveyed, warning of "irresponsible statements that can result in an escalation of the conflict in a short time."