Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Palestinians to unite amid Israel’s war in Gaza, following hours-long talks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday, his office said.

“It is vital that Palestinians act with unity in this process. The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity,” Erdogan said according to a Turkish presidency statement, reports AFP.

Erdogan and Haniyeh began talks in Istanbul on Saturday as tensions in the Middle East soar.

The meeting at the Dolmabahce Palace started shortly after 2:30pm (1130 GMT) and ended after more than two and a half hours of talks, Turkish media reported.

Haniyeh was received at the Dolmabahce palace with his delegation, including a key member of the Palestinian militant group, Khaled Mashal, according to photographs released by the Turkish presidency.