Diyar Guldogan
12 March 2024•Update: 12 March 2024
WASHINGTON
Türkiye will continue to stand with Palestinians and reveal Israel's disinformation on the Gaza war to the public, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said Monday
"Israel's occupation of Gaza will eventually end. But we will not forget what happened today,” said Altun, speaking to the digital news platform Fokusplus.
"We will bring Israel's atrocities, war crimes and genocide to the world community's attention whenever possible, and we will not stop talking about Israel's lengthy criminal record," he added.
He said that Türkiye has been the voice of various oppressed regions, particularly Palestine, and has supported their rightful causes.
Altun said it has been observed that Western media outlets do not refrain from resorting to disinformation regarding the region, particularly Türkiye.
"Attempting to undermine Türkiye's might and achievements is, to say the least, a sign of weakness. The importance of helping the oppressed and speaking up for them cannot be overstated, just as the truth cannot be hidden.
"And we do not expect anyone to appreciate us for taking care of the oppressed. On the contrary, we carry out the obligations that our history, faith, humanity and, most significantly, Türkiye's mission demand of us, and we shall continue to do the same," he added.
Stating that disinformation threatens global security and peace, Altun underlined that it has become essential to address the issue not only at the national level but also through international cooperation.
He said Israel has been using "disinformative content and fake information to justify the massacres” it has committed in Gaza since Oct. 7 and to win over international opinion.
"However, we withstood the deluge of lies disseminated by Israel. We exposed the fake news and false information it was circulating. We have exposed approximately 200 grave disinformation attempts by Israel through the Palestine Special Disinformation Bulletins we have published.
"We shared the truth with the international community. All of Israel's lies, which we exposed, were reflected in international public opinion and served as a reference for Israel's trial process," he said, adding several international media outlets that have been "acting under the influence of Israel and assumed the task of disseminating its lies have been compelled to reconsider their positions."
In this process, Anadolu and Turkish broadcaster TRT are also working hard to uncover the realities on the ground and bring them to the forefront of global public opinion, Altun stressed.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.
More than 31,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 72,700 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 27 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza due to the Israeli blockade.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
