Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Tuesday condemned Israel’s launch of a ground offensive to occupy Gaza, calling it “a bloody phase of the Netanyahu government’s genocide crimes” and urging international accountability.
In a statement shared on social media, Duran stressed that the new wave of attacks blatantly violated the fundamental principles of international law and added new dimensions to Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“These assaults, which have killed thousands of Palestinians and displaced hundreds of thousands more, have pushed the humanitarian tragedy to an unbearable point,” he said.
Duran underlined that there are no excuses left for the international community to remain inactive. “It is an obligation for all responsible mechanisms, particularly the U.N. Security Council, to take immediate action, secure a cease-fire, and ensure that Israel is held accountable before international law for the crimes it has committed,” he stated.
He affirmed Türkiye’s determination to resist normalization of Israel’s actions under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “As Türkiye, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we will never legitimize this oppression, never accept its normalization, and will support all initiatives to hold Israel accountable,” he declared.
Turning to Netanyahu’s remarks targeting Erdoğan and Türkiye over Jerusalem, Duran said they are null and void.
“Netanyahu, who is tried by international courts for war crimes and condemned in humanity’s conscience for the humanitarian tragedy he has caused, has no authority to speak about the ancient city of Jerusalem in relation to our President. Throughout history, Jerusalem has never bowed to Crusader invaders or imperialist powers. Whoever seized this city by force, oppressed its people, and attacked its mosques and churches has become a cursed footnote in Jerusalem’s long history. This blessed city has been the scene of the greatest downfall of many arrogant and ambitious figures who claimed it was theirs alone.”
Duran added that the sanctity and spirituality of Jerusalem could never be overshadowed by occupation policies. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering stance: “Until an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state is established on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, we will continue to stand by our brothers and their just cause.”
