Erdogan said Türkiye was working to halt the violence in Gaza and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians facing severe shortages.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of running a “network of massacres” and seeking to prolong his political survival at the cost of further bloodshed in the region.
“We will not allow Netanyahu and the network of massacres to drag our region into bigger disasters just to extend their political lifespans,” Erdogan told reporters after a cabinet meeting. He described Israel as a “terror state” and condemned what he called the “brutality, barbarity, massacre, torture and oppression” inflicted on Palestinians.
Erdogan said Türkiye was working to halt the violence in Gaza and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians facing severe shortages.
“We are doing whatever is necessary to stop the atrocities in Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid without interruption to our brothers and sisters in Gaza who are on the brink of starvation,” he said.
Erdogan has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began after the Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Palestinian health authorities say more than 61,000 people in Gaza have been killed since then, with large parts of the enclave reduced to rubble and basic services collapsing.
Protest in Turkey
Thousands of Turkish protested on Saturday, denouncing Israeli attacks and blockade in Gaza.
Organized by 15 civil society organizations under the “Support for Palestine Platform,” the “Be Hope for Gaza” march gathered participants at Beyazit Square after evening prayers, before marching towards the iconic Hagia Sophia Mosque.
They chanted slogans like “Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine,” carried Palestinian flags, and held banners accusing Israel of starving Gaza and demanding accountability.
Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during which Erdogan condemned Israel’s decision to bring Gaza under full military control as “absolutely unacceptable.”
According to a statement by the Turkish presidential office, Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s continued diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and its support for Palestine, welcomed European countries’ rising call for Palestine’s statehood, and noted growing criticism of Israel in the West.
At least 9,862 Palestinians have been killed and 40,809 injured since Israel renewed intensive strikes on March 18, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 61,369, with 152,850 wounded, Gaza-based health authorities said Saturday.
Eleven new deaths due to starvation and malnutrition were recorded in Gaza over the past 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll of that kind since October 2023 to 212, including 98 children, the authorities said.
On Friday, Israel announced that its Security Cabinet had approved a plan to take over Gaza City, which immediately drew condemnation both domestically and internationally, with critics arguing it violates international law, worsens the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and undermines efforts to reach a ceasefire. ■
