Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan communicated to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres his stance that Israel should face international legal accountability for its actions in Gaza, as per a statement from the Turkish presidency.
Erdogan emphasized the need for Israel to answer for what he termed as war crimes committed in the recent offensive in Gaza.
The conflict in question saw Israel launching an offensive against Hamas in Gaza, resulting in over 15,000 casualties, as reported by Gaza health authorities. This offensive was a response to Hamas’ actions in southern Israel on October 7, which led to approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 240 hostages.
Read: Twelve Hostages Released in Gaza as Part of Extended Israel-Hamas Truce Efforts
In a preparatory conversation for an upcoming U.N. Security Council meeting on Gaza, Erdogan and Guterres discussed the global community’s expectations regarding Israel’s actions, the necessity of humanitarian aid access, and the pursuit of lasting peace.
The Turkish foreign ministry announced that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would attend the U.N. Security Council meeting in New York, where he is also expected to meet counterparts from a contact group of Muslim countries.
The committee, formed by the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), aims to bring the Gaza issue to the attention of Western powers and other nations. Turkey, which has been vocal in its criticism of Israel’s actions and advocates for an immediate ceasefire, does not consider Hamas a terrorist group, contrary to the views of the United States, the European Union, and some Gulf countries. Turkey has accused the West, except for Spain and Belgium, of complicity in the conflict due to their support for Israel.
