Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised the profound solidarity between Türkiye and Palestine following an emotive friendly football match hosted in the central Turkish province of Konya.
"Tonight in Konya, the friendly match between Konyaspor and the Palestine national football team was an exceptional example of the brotherhood, solidarity and unity of hearts between our countries," Erdogan stated in a message shared on the X platform.
The Turkish leader conveyed his "most heartfelt greetings and affection" to the visiting Palestinian squad members who travelled to Türkiye for the encounter, as well as to the wider Palestinian population enduring ongoing conflict.
Erdogan thanked local supporters in Konya who packed the 42,000-capacity stadium to welcome the Palestinian national squad and openly show collective backing for the Palestinian cause.
Tributes to Palestinian children
The president noted that the fixture served as an urgent reminder to the international community regarding the ongoing "tragedy and genocide" unfolding in Palestine and Gaza.
"As Türkiye, we will continue to stand united and in solidarity with our Palestinian and Gazan brothers and sisters, defend their rights on the international stage, and demonstrate our solidarity with them in the strongest possible way," Erdogan added.
The fixture took place on Wednesday evening as the centrepiece of dedicated "Palestine Day" commemorations in Konya, featuring emotional tributes and ceremonies designed to draw global attention to the thousands of children who have lost their lives in Palestine.
On the pitch, the match delivered competitive drama.
Konyaspor opened the scoring inside two minutes courtesy of Melih Ibrahimoglu, before the Palestine national team responded with two clinical goals from Mohammed Sandouqa in the 12th and 25th minutes to seize a 2–1 advantage.
Konyaspor striker Mostafa Mohamed found an equaliser in the 28th minute to level the scoreline before the break.
Despite persistent attacking opportunities created by both sides throughout an energetic second half, neither team could break the deadlock, concluding the historic friendly in a 2–2 draw.
