Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he welcomed the pause in Gaza and the exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas as a temporary “stop of bloodshed” in the enclave, Reuters reports.

Speaking to lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government were “lessening” Ankara’s hopes that the pause could turn into a full ceasefire, but added Turkey would ramp up diplomatic efforts for a lasting ceasefire and the exchange of hostages in coming days.

Erdogan also said Turkey had “largely completed” evacuating its citizens from Gaza, where he repeated a “genocide” was taking place.