As the Palestinian death toll from Israeli strikes mounts, Gaza has “no time to lose”, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned, urging Western countries, especially the U.S., to step up pressure on Israel to stop its war on the enclave.
Türkiye is working ceaselessly to help facilitate an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian aid deliveries there, Erdoğan said in remarks published Saturday from an interview with journalists on a flight back from an economy summit in Azerbaijan.
Recalling their meeting on the sidelines of the NATO leaders’ summit at The Hague last month, Erdoğan said he urged U.S. President Donald Trump to “intervene” over the shooting of Palestinians at Gaza aid centers.
“I told Mr. Trump ‘You and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could manage this process the best. People are being killed waiting in line for food. You need to intervene to stop the killing of these people,’” Erdoğan said, noting that he saw Trump had a “positive” approach to the matter.
The U.N. human rights office said it has recorded 613 Palestinians killed within the span of a month in Gaza while trying to obtain aid. Most were killed while trying to reach food distribution points run by an Israeli-backed American organization, while others were massed waiting for aid trucks connected to the United Nations or other humanitarian organizations, it said.
The lasting calm in the region failed due to Israel's ceasefire violations, said Erdoğan, adding that Ankara is working to prevent recurrence this time.
Türkiye believes the cease-fire between Iran and Israel has also opened the door for a Gaza truce, the president said, adding that Hamas has repeatedly shown its goodwill on this matter.
On the F-35 delivery issue between Washington and Ankara, Erdoğan said that he expects gradual delivery of F-35s to Türkiye during Trump's term, hoping that the U.S. president will "honor our agreement."
The F-35 issue is not just about the military technology for Türkiye, said Erdoğan, adding: "It's also about strong partnerships on global platforms, especially NATO."
The Turkish president also said the terror-free Türkiye initiative would gain momentum after PKK terrorists begin laying down their weapons.
His remarks came ahead of a planned ceremony by the PKK in northern Iraq where it operates a stronghold to begin destroying its weapons, which the group said could happen between July 10 and 12.
"The process will gain a little more speed when the terrorist organization starts to implement its decision to lay down arms," Erdoğan told reporters.
As part of the terror-free initiative launched by Erdoğan’s ally Devlet Bahçeli last year, the PKK declared an end to its terror campaign in May, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives in Türkiye, as well as in Iraq and Syria since 1984.
On Syria, Erdoğan said that Türkiye has made its red lines clear on Syria, adding the country won't tolerate any plan legitimizing terrorist groups or their affiliates.
"We can implement models such as free trade zones, logistics hubs, and border markets in northern Syria," Erdoğan added.
"In my meeting with brother (Azerbaijan's President) Ilham Aliyev, he said: 'I am ready to provide all kinds of support on natural gas to Syria,'" the president said.
Erdoğan also called on Russia and Azerbaijan to show restraint amid increased tension between the two nations, noting that Ankara has "deep and strategic ties" with both Moscow and Baku.
Ankara's greatest wish is that unfortunate incidents do not cause "irreparable damage" to relations between Moscow and Baku,” he said.
Touching on the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Erdoğan said: "We will witness an opening of new and historic windows of opportunity with the peace deal."
Regarding the Zangezur Corridor - a strategic route set to connect western Azerbaijan to the exclave of Nakhchivan and emerge as a key link from China to Türkiye and Russia – Erdoğan said it offers opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire region.
He noted that Ankara views the route as part of a "geo-economic revolution."
Even though Armenia initially opposed the Zangezur Corridor, Yerevan is now showing a more flexible approach to joining economic integration, he added.
