The head of Gaza's Hamas government has named his newest grandson after the Turkish prime minister.

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan is admired as a hero in Gaza because his government gave tacit approval to a May flotilla of activists that sought to break Israel's siege of the territory.

An Israeli commando raid on the boats killed nine Turkish activists, including one with U.S. citizenship. It also prompted international criticism that forced Israel to loosen its blockade of Gaza. Turkish-Israel relations have soured since.

Media reported on Tuesday that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh wants Erdogan's name "reverberated on every tongue" in Gaza.

The 47-year-old Haniyeh has 11 children and 15 grandchildren.


Agencies