President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday condemned Israel for resuming attacks on the Gaza Strip, which have killed hundreds of Palestinians early Tuesday.
Erdoğan held phone calls with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof to discuss bilateral ties, as well as regional and global issues, according to Türkiye's Communications Directorate.
During his call with Stubb, Erdoğan said Tel Aviv's renewed attacks on the Gaza Strip are "unacceptable."
The Turkish president also urged the international community to say "stop" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's genocide policy, stressing the importance of restoring the cease-fire in Gaza as soon as possible.
About the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war, Erdoğan said Ankara continues its efforts to end the war through a just and lasting peace, adding that Türkiye expects Russia to accept the cease-fire call.
On bilateral relations with Finland, he said Ankara is fully committed to deepening cooperation with Helsinki and will continue to work on developing relations in many areas, particularly in the defense industry and counter-terrorism.
During the phone call between the Turkish president and the Dutch premier, Erdoğan said Israel's genocide policy should not be allowed, and Schoof urged "all parties (to) respect the (Israel-Hamas) cease-fire and the agreement on the release of the hostages," noting that the reports coming out of Gaza were "alarming."
The Turkish and Dutch leaders also discussed European security and the war in Ukraine, with Erdoğan emphasizing that a peace process between Ukraine and Russia cannot be successful with an understanding that excludes one of the two countries.
According to Schoof, "the importance of providing unwavering support in the struggle against the Russian aggressor" was critical and that Türkiye "can help contribute to security guarantees, which will be a key condition for stable and lasting peace in Ukraine."
On Ankara-Amsterdam ties, Erdoğan emphasized steps to increase bilateral cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade and economy.
The Israeli army pounded the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing at least 404 people and injuring hundreds of others, breaking the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian group Hamas that took effect on Jan. 19.
Images from Gaza showed that the majority of the victims were civilians, including women and children, whose homes were bombed during the night.
More than 48,500 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 112,000 others injured in a brutal Israeli military campaign in Gaza since October 2023.
Last November the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the cease-fire. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel's actions.
Hamas warned that Israel's new airstrikes breached their cease-fire and put the fate of hostages in jeopardy.
The surprise attack shattered a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and raised the prospect of a full return to Israel's 17-month campaign that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza.
