RAMALLAH, February 15, 2023 – President Mahmoud Abbas today held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to express his condolences over the devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people in southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria.

During the call, President Abbas affirmed that the State and people of Palestine stand in full solidarity with the brotherly people of Türkiye in the wake of this tragedy — the deadliest natural disaster since the founding of the Republic a century ago. He also conveyed Palestine’s readiness to provide all possible support within its available means.

President Abbas extended his heartfelt condolences to President Erdoğan, the Turkish people, and the bereaved families, praying that God grant them patience and solace, and wishing a swift recovery to all the injured.

For his part, President Erdoğan expressed deep appreciation for President Abbas’s solidarity and reaffirmed Türkiye’s steadfast position in defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the holy sites in Jerusalem and across Palestine.