ISTANBUL: Turkiye will declare three days鈥� mourning over a deadly strike on a hospital in war-torn Gaza that killed hundreds, a Turkish official told AFP on Wednesday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause, has accused Israel of 鈥渟triking a hospital sheltering women, children and innocent civilians鈥� and urged the world to stop the tragedy in Gaza.
Israel and Palestinian militants have accused each other of the attack.
鈥淭urkiye will declare three days national mourning,鈥� the official who wished to remain anonymous told AFP.
Ozlem Zengin of Erdogan鈥檚 ruling AKP party said that the national mourning would be declared under a presidential decree.
鈥淚t is important to show at what level we perceive this issue,鈥� she was quoted as saying by the private NTV broadcaster.
Erdogan on Tuesday condemned the strike as 鈥渢he latest example of Israeli attacks devoid of the most basic human values,鈥� in a message on social media.
AKP party spokesman Omer Celik said Turkiye鈥檚 declaration of three days鈥� mourning would a show of solidarity with the innocent Palestinians in Gaza.
鈥淲e share the same pain, the same sorrow,鈥� he told reporters at a weekly press conference. He accused Israel of the strike on the hospital, he said.
Large crowds joined demonstrations in Istanbul and the Turkish capital Ankara late Tuesday, shouting pro-Palestinian chants.
Israel has told its citizens to leave Turkiye 鈥渁s soon as possible鈥� amid fears of reprisal attacks.