Erdogan Condemns Ongoing Gaza Genocide as Shared Shame of Humanity
During the opening session of the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the ongoing genocide in Gaza, labeling it a shared shame of humanity. He emphasized that the violence has extended beyond Gaza, with unethical and illegal attacks occurring in the West Bank and Lebanon as well. Erdogan urged supporters of Israeli aggression to recognize their complicity in the crimes being committed against the Palestinian people.
Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the international community to pressure Israel to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza. He highlighted the dire humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, which he claims surpasses the scale of suffering caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In response to these atrocities, Turkey has initiated a proposal at the United Nations aimed at halting the sale and transfer of weapons and ammunition to Israel. This initiative has garnered support from over 50 countries and international organizations, with a joint letter presented to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UK, which currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council.
Additionally, Erdogan praised the recent official recognition of Palestine by Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia, expressing gratitude on behalf of the Turkish government and people. He called on other nations that have yet to recognize Palestine to follow suit to contribute to justice and peace in the region.
Since the outbreak of violence on October 7, 2023, Israeli operations, supported by the United States, have reportedly resulted in the deaths and injuries of approximately 146,000 Palestinians, with a significant number being women and children. The ongoing conflict has also led to over 10,000 missing persons and widespread destruction, marking one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
