Turkey: Orthodox Christians condemn Gaza violence

By Ozan Efeoglu and Lale Koklu

HATAY, Turkey (AA) - An Orthodox Christian community in Turkey’s southern Hatay province has condemned Israeli violence that martyred more than 60 Palestinians during protests along Gaza's eastern border on Monday.

Addressing reporters at St. Nicholas Church in Iskenderun district, Can Teymur, the head of the Iskenderun Orthodox Community’s Foundation said: "We have been quite saddened by such a massacre to occur without discriminating children and the elderly particularly at the start of the holy month of Ramadan."

"We, as Christians living in Hatay, condemn [use of lethal force by Israel] strongly and vehemently," Teymur said.

On Monday, at least 62 Palestinian demonstrators were martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli armed forces along the Gaza-Israel fence, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Thousands of Palestinians had gathered on the Gaza Strip’s eastern border to take part in protests marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel -- which Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, Arabic for "Catastrophe" -- and protest the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.