Israel's expanding ground offensive in the Gaza Strip is obstructing efforts to reach peace, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, urging an immediate end to attacks and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
"At a time when negotiations are ongoing, Israel's widening of its attacks in Gaza weakens all efforts to establish peace and stability," the ministry said in a written statement.
It added that this escalation "once again demonstrates that Israel has no intention of achieving a lasting peace."
Ankara reiterated its call for "an immediate cease-fire, the cessation of operations in various parts of Gaza, and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid." Aid has been blocked by Israel since March, and amid an already dire humanitarian crisis, it prompted warnings of famine from food experts.
It also urged the international community to take "effective and determined steps against Israel" in line with their legal and humanitarian obligations.
"Establishing regional peace and security requires the international community to act without delay," the ministry stressed.
The Israeli army announced that it had launched ground assaults in Gaza aimed at expanding and making the occupation permanent as part of a new offensive plan approved by the security cabinet on May 4.
The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
NATO member Türkiye has been a traditional ally to Palestine, but the more brutal the Israeli attacks became, the harsher Ankara has made its criticism in the past year. It has condemned what it calls genocide, halted all trade with Israel and applied to join a genocide case against Israel at the World Court, which Israel rejects.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Türkiye last month made a presentation on Israel’s attacks on Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as part of the advisory opinion. It pressed for accountability while underlining the need to continue the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the operations of Palestinian refugees.
By blocking the aid flow and continuing offensives,
Israel says these are all ways to push Hamas toward agreeing to a cease-fire deal on Israel's terms. And while the sides continue to negotiate a potential truce, it is not clear how much progress has been made in bridging the remaining sticking points between the sides.
