Türkiye strongly condemned Israel’s launch of a ground offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, describing it as “a new phase in the Netanyahu government’s genocidal plans.”
According to a statement issued Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the unlawful Israeli offensive targeted Gaza City, “one of the few remaining places of refuge for the people of Gaza, where over one million Palestinians have sought shelter.”
The statement warned that the operation “will escalate the ongoing massacres, displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians once again, and further deepen the suffering of the Palestinian people.”
The ministry also noted the timing of the assault, saying: “Launched at a time when the international community is striving to secure a ceasefire agreement that would include a hostage-prisoner exchange and ensure uninterrupted access for humanitarian aid, this offensive once again demonstrates that Israel does not seek a ceasefire.”
It continued by calling on the international community, particularly the U.N. Security Council, to fulfill its responsibilities to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza. The statement added that Ankara “will continue its cooperation with countries that uphold international law.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that it was crucial for Muslim countries to develop cooperation in security and crisis management in the face of Israeli aggression.
Türkiye has repeatedly warned that Israel was intent on expansionist policies and dragging the wider region into fire after the Netanyahu administration targeted Lebanon and Syria during the latest round of the Palestine-Israeli conflict. The attacks later expanded into Israel's archenemy, Iran. As a major supporter of the Palestinian cause, Türkiye, which champions the rights of thousands of civilians condemned to death by Israel in Gaza, is reportedly worried that Israel may target it next. Erdoğan voiced this concern in remarks last year, calling for "strengthening the home front" against Israeli expansionism.
