Türkiye leads response to Gaza massacre
Türkiye is the only country showing the strongest reaction to the massacre in Gaza and taking concrete measures against Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday.
“We are the only country that has shown the strongest reaction to the massacre in Gaza since Oct. 7, and taken concrete measures against Israel,” Erdogan said in an AK Party’s consultation and assessment meeting in the Kizilcihamam district of the capital Ankara.
He added that Türkiye has suspended all commercial transactions with Israel. This decision follows an initial halt in 54 specific items.
Noting that Türkiye “stands tall with the heroic people of Palestine” who defend their homeland, Erdogan emphasized their unwavering support for Palestinian resistance.
Türkiye has sent over 55,000 tons of humanitarian aid
Erdogan also hailed the Turkish Parliament’s decision to condemn Israeli massacres in Rafah, saying the decision is “extremely valuable.”
Regarding the situation in Palestine, he said Türkiye has sent over 55,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the region.
‘Türkiye’s common wisdom’
Erdogan said that since the ruling party’s establishment, they’ve brought together different opinions in the crucible of common wisdom. “We’ve always been open to criticism, especially constructive and guiding criticism. We’ve effectively operated the democratic mechanisms within our party,” he added.
Erdogan explained the reason behind the theme, saying: “With this understanding, we’ve chosen ‘Türkiye’s common wisdom’ as the theme of our 31st Consultation and Evaluation Meeting. We will comprehensively address the negative polarization between May 14-28 and the March 31 election results, without resorting to convenience.”
What happened in Rafah?
On May 26, Israel launched an airstrike on a camp for displaced people in Rafah that killed at least 45 people, mostly women and children.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
Around 36,400 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 82,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.
Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in its latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.
