Ruling AK Party official condemns attacks on Gaza aid workers by Israeli forces
This image grab from a handout video reportedly recovered from the cellphone of an aid worker killed in Gaza alongside other rescuers and released by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS)on April 5, 2025, shows a Red Crescent ambulance with its emergency lights flashing as it drives toward a fire truck and other ambulances in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the PRCS. (Photo by Palestinian Red Crescent / Handout / AFP)
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Vice Chairman and Member of Parliament for Istanbul, Zafer Sirakaya, has issued a strong statement condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza, specifically targeting humanitarian aid workers.
His comments follow reports of 15 medical personnel killed by Israel while assisting in the southern city of Rafah.
Sirakaya denounces violations of international law in Gaza
In a statement posted on social media, Sirakaya accused Israel of systematically ignoring international legal norms. “The world must take a stance and stand against the lawless and disturbing massacres committed by the occupying, genocidal Zionist government of Israel,” he said.
“On the 31st of March, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that they had recovered the bodies of 15 medical personnel who were on their way to deliver aid to those who were wounded in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah,” he added.
He emphasized that international institutions such as the United Nations, along with all global bodies built on the foundations of justice, conscience, human rights, and peace, must take a firm stand.
“It has now become evident why the Israeli army, after martyring 15 healthcare workers, quickly buried them in a mass grave using heavy weaponry, bypassing proper identification, procedure and protocol,” Sirakaya stated.
Medical workers killed in targeted attack
Sirakaya cited the Palestine Red Crescent’s confirmation that the bodies of 15 medical workers, who were en route to assist the wounded in Rafah on March 31, had been recovered.
He questioned why, after the attack, the Israeli army hastily buried the victims in a mass grave without standard procedures, despite their clearly marked uniforms.
“After the discovery of the mass grave, the Israeli government opened fire on vehicles, claiming that they were moving suspiciously without the use of headlights or emergency signals. These attacks were not an act of random engagement; footage retrieved from the phones of the martyred medical professionals reveals a deliberate, planned, and systematic massacre carried out by the Israeli army,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows that the ambulances were traveling in a convoy, maintaining a safe distance, with their sirens and warning lights operating. Moreover, the murdered healthcare workers were wearing high-visibility uniforms that comply with international humanitarian standards,” he added.
“In its ongoing campaign of systematic genocide in Gaza, Israel’s war cabinet continues to violate international law, further tormenting the Palestinian people,” he stated.
Call for international action against impunity
Sirakaya criticized the lack of accountability for repeated attacks on civilians and aid workers in Gaza.
“All international institutions, particularly the United Nations, founded on the principles of humanity, justice, conscience, law, and peace, must raise a principled and unwavering voice against Israel’s unchecked impunity, as must the public’s opinion,” he said.
“Remaining silent in the face of Israel’s ruthless killing of innocent civilians, including children, infants, journalists, and healthcare workers in Gaza, serves only to legitimize occupation, genocide, and oppression on a global scale,” he added.
He described Israel’s actions as the peak of barbarism, accusing the government of deliberately blocking humanitarian aid and subjecting the population to starvation.
“By obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid and denying the people of Gaza access to necessities, Israel continues to escalate its occupation in blatant violation of international law, reaching new and appalling levels of inhumanity,” he said.
Türkiye will continue supporting Palestinian rights, says Sirakaya
Sirakaya reaffirmed Türkiye’s ongoing support for the Palestinian cause, stating that the country will not remain silent even if the rest of the world does.
“Even if the entire world remains silent in the face of this barbarism, genocide, and occupation, we will continue to be the voice of innocent Gazans. We will keep the Palestinian cause on the global agenda and support their struggle on every platform and by every means until Palestine is free,” he said.
