When asked about Egyptian mediation efforts aimed at imposing a cease-fire between the allied Israeli regime and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Erdogan mocked Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's position regarding the popular resistance group in the Gaza Strip on Friday.

“Is Sisi a party (to a ceasefire)? Sisi is a tyrant himself,” said the Turkish prime minister as cited in an AFP report. “He is not different from the others.”

Turkey has been critical of Egypt’s decision to seal off the Gaza-Sinai border crossings, depriving the besieged residents of Gaza of their only route to access critical needs and basic supplies. Ankara has also been among the countries opposing the forced downfall of Egypt's first freely elected president Mohamed Morsi by the nation's Sisi-led military. 

Since Morsi's ouster, the military-installed government in Cairo has engaged in a brutal crackdown on his supporters and members of his Muslim Brotherhood organization, killing and wounding hundreds and jailing thousands.

In November, Egypt expelled Turkey’s ambassador from Cairo due to Ankara’s expressed support for Morsi.

“Egypt is not a party, they are trying to legitimize (the Sisi administration) in Egypt. It is not a legitimate administration. It is illegitimate,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish leader, who accused the Israeli regime of “genocide” against the Palestinians, slammed Tel Aviv's policy – backed by Egyptian government and the West – of shunning Hamas.

“Hamas is a party there,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, the occupying regime recalled the families of its diplomats in Ankara and Istanbul following violent anti-Israel protests outside its embassy and consulate in those cities Thursday night.

Rocks were thrown and windows broken during the Thursday night protest rallies, which followed strong remarks by Erdogan, charging that Tel Aviv was attempting a “systematic genocide” against the Palestinians in Gaza.

NTJ/MB