The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) slammed the U.S. position suggesting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan should delay his visit to Gaza, illegally-blockaded by Israel since 2007.

In a statement, Hamas spokesman Dr. Sami Abu-Zuhri said, "Hamas denounces the US position calling for the cancellation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit to Gaza. This proves US involvement in consecrating the Gaza blockade".

Abu-Zuhri accused John Kerry and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas -- who met in the Turkish city, Istanbul, earlier on Sunday -- of "collusion in a bid to maintain the (Israeli) blockade on Gaza".

Earlier, in Istanbul, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry ‘expressed’ to Prime Minister Erdogan that he should put back the date of his visit to the Gaza Strip, scheduled for the end of May 2013.