ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that Israel was a “terror state” committing brutal war crimes and violating international law in the besieged Gaza against innocent Palestinians.
Speaking to lawmakers in the Turkish Parliament, Erdogan repeated his view that the Palestinian resistance group Hamas was not a terrorist organization but rather a Palestinian resistance group making efforts for independence from Israeli occupation.
The Turkish President also asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify whether Israel had nuclear bombs or not. He added that the Israeli Prime Minister was a “goner” from his post. He said the Hamas group was a political party that the Palestinian people had democratically elected.
“Particularly targeting civilian areas, Israel is implementing a strategy of destruction of a city with its residents. Israel is committing state terrorism with brutality that deliberately targets civilians with bombs on the road, forcing them to evacuate their homes. I say unequivocally that Israel is a terrorist state,” Erdogan declared.
Erdogan appealed to world leaders by comparing the victims of the Charlie Hebdo incident with the Palestinian civilians who lost their lives in Gaza and pointed out that this incident is now a Crusader-Whales issue.
Erdogan Emphasizes that Gazans and Palestinian Will be Victorious
Erdogan emphasized that whatever happens, Gazan residents and Palestinians will be victorious, and he has no doubt about that. “Victory will be for Gazans and Palestinians. We do not have the slightest doubt about this. If Israel continues its massacres against Palestinians in this way, it will be known everywhere as a terrorist state that is denounced all over the world,” Erdogan highlighted.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the ongoing Israeli military operations amidst a dire humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
In a statement, the UN Chief expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza and ongoing Israeli brutalities and barbarism against innocent Palestinians, citing the collapse of several medical services and a devastating loss of life.
During a daily press conference, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN chief, confirmed that as of Monday, all hospitals in the northern half of Gaza, except al-Shifa, have been rendered inoperable due to the disruption of electrical medical devices caused by a shortage of fuel. The crisis has left 500 patients at Al-Shifa Hospital as the sole facility providing medical services.
While, the head of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, decried the “devastating” conditions she witnessed during her visit to war-ravaged Gaza, urging the conflicting parties to the conflict to “stop this horror.”
In a statement following her visit, UNICEF chief Catherine Russell said, “The sights and sounds were heart-wrenching. The people in Gaza have faced relentless attacks, enduring significant loss and displacement. Within the confines of the Strip, there is no safe haven for the one million children in Gaza.” She specifically mentioned her visit to a hospital in the southern part of the Palestinian territory.
Israeli forces raided Al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday morning, where the UN estimates that at least 2,300 people – patients, staff, and displaced civilians – are inside and may be unable to evacuate due to intense fighting.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed these concerns, stating that reports of a military incursion into Al-Shifa hospital are deeply troubling. The International Committee of the Red Cross also expressed extreme concern about the impact on sick and wounded individuals, medical staff, and civilians, emphasizing the necessity to take all measures to protect them.
Amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip, the health ministry in Gaza reported a significant number of casualties, including thousands of children. Al-Shifa hospital has become a key target in Israel’s campaign, with witnesses describing dire conditions inside, including medical procedures without anesthesia, families with limited access to food and water living in corridors, and the overpowering stench of decomposing corpses.
