Türkiye will continue to fight for the rights of Palestinians, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, in a video message issued on the occasion of Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr.
Noting that Türkiye’s restrictions on Israel will continue until Tel Aviv allows uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid supplies into Gaza, the president said the decision was taken after Israel prevented Türkiye’s efforts to airdrop aid to Palestinians.
He referred to Gaza, where over 32,000 Palestinians were killed by Israel, as a "bleeding wound on the conscience of humanity."
Türkiye on Tuesday announced it was restricting exports of a wide range of products to Israel until it declares a cease-fire and allows the uninterrupted flow of aid to Gaza, in a significant measure after six months of relentless Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave.
Israel said it would respond to the measures, which include curbs on exports of aluminum, steel, construction products, fertilizer and jet fuel, with its own restrictions on products from Türkiye.
NATO member Türkiye is among the harshest critics of Israel's military actions in Gaza, which have claimed the lives of more than 33,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities.
Erdoğan also said his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is analyzing the results of the March 31 local election and will continue to discuss it.
Separately, Erdoğan greeted Muslims worldwide on the eve of Eid.
"I wholeheartedly congratulate our nation and the Islamic world on the holy Eid al-Fitr. I hope that the Eid will lead to peace, tranquility and well-being for our country, our nation, the Islamic world and all humanity," Erdoğan said on X.
Eid al-Fitr, which marks the beginning of Shawwal month in the Islamic calendar, is celebrated by Muslims all over the world following the end of the monthlong dawn-to-sunset fasting in Ramadan.
