Turkish President Condemns Israel's Attacks on Gaza as ‘Massacre’
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed strong condemnation of Israel's attacks on Gaza, characterizing them as a "massacre," and criticized the international community for its silence, referring to it as a "shame for humanity."
Erdogan spoke with Pope Francis about the Israel-Palestine conflict and escalating human rights violations during a phone call on Thursday. He emphasized that Israel's attacks on Gaza, which have no justification in any sacred text, have escalated to the level of a massacre, and he found it shameful for the international community to ignore them.
He urged all states to raise their voices against this humanitarian tragedy and highlighted Turkey's significant efforts to provide humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza. Erdogan called on everyone to actively support these efforts to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of aid to innocent civilians.
Also, in a televised address on Wednesday, Erdogan strongly criticized the Israeli regime, accusing it of deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza and causing significant casualties among children, women, and older individuals. He characterized Israel's actions as an act of savagery and a premeditated crime against humanity.
Erdogan also took issue with Western countries for their unwavering support of Israel and their classification of Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group that controls Gaza, as a "terrorist" organization. He defended Hamas, referring to it as an organization of liberation and mujahedeen who fight to protect their land and citizens.
Erdogan's comments sharply contrast with the positions of Western countries, which have provided strong support for Israel since Hamas launched a surprise attack in Israeli-occupied territories on October 7 in response to the desecration of the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds as well as Israeli atrocities against Palestinians over the decades.
However, Erdogan's criticism of Israel's response, including urging Gazans to flee to the southern half of the enclave and conducting a heavy bombing campaign that has heavily destroyed civilian neighborhoods, reflects sentiments that have become common worldwide.
The Israeli bombardment in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 7,020 Palestinians, including 2,913 children, 1,709 women, and 397 elderly individuals, as reported by the health ministry in the besieged enclave. Additionally, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank.
Gaza's 2.3 million residents are facing severe shortages of essential supplies, including food, water, medicine, and fuel, and recent aid convoys permitted into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is required.
