ISTANBUL 

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday lauded Turkish media outlets for their courage in covering the truth in the Gaza Strip, as he honored Anadolu photojournalist Ali Jadallah for his work that exposed to the world magnitude of Israeli destruction.

"In the face of the Gaza genocide, Turkish media outlets, especially TRT and Anadolu, have really taken a brave stance," Erdogan said in a speech at the 2025 Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Awards ceremony in Ankara.

Praising Jadallah, who was presented with this year's award in the photography category, Erdogan said: "What is reflected through his lens not only reveals the horrific scale of the massacre in Gaza but also brings the rightful resistance of the Palestinian people to the attention of the world."

"Our brother Ali, who exposed the brutal genocide in Gaza and confronted the so-called civilized world with the truth, serves as a photojournalist for our Anadolu," he said.

"His photographs resonated widely in international public opinion. These images were submitted as evidence in the case filed by the Republic of South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice," he added.

"I congratulate our brother Ali Jadallah, who risked his life and pressed the shutter of truth to document the oppression in Gaza through photographs, on behalf of myself, my nation, and all the oppressed," he said. The president also commemorated the nearly 300 journalists "ruthlessly" killed by Israel in last two years.

The award was accepted by Jaddallah's wife, Dua al-Eisawi, on his behalf. Al-Eisawi said she hoped her husband could attend the ceremony, but leaving Gaza is extremely difficult and only she and her children were allowed to travel. She thanked Anadolu, the Turkish government and the country's people for support in this regard.

She also praised Erdogan for his efforts towards ending the war in Gaza and supporting the Palestinians.