BERLIN: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on a visit to Germany, has demanded an immediate halt to Israel’s military operation in Gaza and urged the establishment of a ceasefire.
During a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Erdogan emphasized the importance of the global community’s reaction against Israel’s human rights violations and called for an end to Israel’s attacks on Palestinian lands, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
The Turkish president’s visit comes amid a growing international outcry over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the martyrdom of more than 11,500 Palestinians, mostly children and women.
Erdogan’s Visit to Germany
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed Erdogan at his official residence, Bellevue Palace, where the leaders held face-to-face discussions before expanded talks between their respective delegations.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to host a working dinner for Erdogan, where discussions will cover a range of regional and global issues, including calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and efforts to de-escalate the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ahead of his Berlin visit, Erdogan criticized Western countries for providing blanket support to the Israeli government while overlooking war crimes committed in Gaza. The Turkish leader’s stance reflects the broader international concern regarding the ongoing conflict. The United Nations has warned of a grave risk of genocide as the Israeli military continues its indiscriminate attacks in Gaza.
Israel’s relentless air and ground assaults on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, have resulted in significant casualties, with over 11,500 Palestinians killed, including more than 7,800 women and children, and over 29,200 injured, according to Palestinian authorities.
