Türkiye mobilizes all resources, diplomatic efforts to bring hope to Gaza: President

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has mobilized all of its resources and diplomatic capabilities to bring hope to Gaza, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday following a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.

“We will not allow (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his murderous network to drag our region into even greater calamities to prolong their political lives,” Erdogan said.

He stressed that Türkiye is the country that gave the most clear response to the "atrocities, barbarism, massacres, torture, and oppression committed by the terror state Israel against our Palestinian brothers and sisters."

Erdogan said the nation, especially NGOs, foundations, and associations, continues to stand by the people of Gaza, and expressed hope to see the day Gaza achieves peace, freedom, and stability.

He added that as the term president of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Türkiye called for an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers. “We are doing whatever is necessary to stop the brutality in Gaza and ensure uninterrupted humanitarian aid reaches our Gazan brothers suffering from hunger,” he added.

Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed nearly 61,500 victims since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is also facing famine-related deaths.

Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal

Erdogan also noted that the liberation of Karabakh after 30 years of occupation has already marked the beginning of a new era in the region.

He called the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal, initialed in Washington, DC, on Aug. 8, “a historic step toward establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus.”

“With the establishment of a peaceful environment, the revival of road and rail links, the opening of border gates, and the free flow of trade will serve the interests of all countries in the region,” he said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought a series of cross-border wars since the late 1980s, including most recently in 2023, when Azerbaijan liberated its territory of Karabakh.