ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s president on Thursday reaffirmed his call for the international community to halt Israel’s dangerous escalation of aggression, warning that it could hurl the region into a wider and even more destructive conflict.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, “stated that Israel is attempting to escalate tensions in the region through its attacks on both Palestinian territories and Lebanon,” said the country’s Communications Directorate.

Erdogan also urged the global community to take effective steps to stop the “recently intensified Israeli aggression,” it added.

Erdogan and Al Thani met at the presidential complex in Ankara.

“President Erdogan stated that Israel's assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh has once again demonstrated its lack of intention to engage in a cease-fire,” it added.

Israel has not taken responsibility for the assassination, which took place last week in Tehran, but Iran has vowed retaliation.

Stating that Türkiye is making efforts to bring lasting peace to the region, Erdogan expressed Ankara’s intention to boost collaborative efforts with Doha to achieve results.

During the meeting, Erdogan and Al Thani also discussed relations between the two nations as well as global and regional issues.

Expressing Türkiye’s “full commitment” to advance its cooperation with Qatar in economic relations, as well as in the political, military, commercial, and cultural fields, the Turkish president said future steps will reinforce solidarity between the two countries.