Erdogan: We will not stand idly by in the face of what is happening in Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated today, Wednesday, that his country will not stand by watching what the Palestinians are facing in the Gaza Strip, directing sharp criticism at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Erdogan said during a speech he delivered at the opening event of the Prophet's birthday celebration week:
"We cannot remain spectators in the face of the crimes happening in Palestine; if half of our hearts are here now, the other half is in Gaza, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, and Afghanistan, the bleeding wounds of the Islamic world."

He added that his country is neither desperate nor pessimistic, affirming that "despair will not control us despite the injustice and absence of justice in the region."

Erdogan's statements come as Israeli military operations continue in the city of Gaza, where the army targeted several neighborhoods including Sabra, Zaitoun, and Sheikh Radwan, resulting in widespread destruction and intense artillery shelling.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the attacks over the past twenty-four hours have resulted in 113 martyrs and 304 injuries, raising the toll since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, to 63,746 martyrs and 161,245 injuries. The ministry also reported the death of six people, including a child, due to starvation and malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from hunger to 367 cases, including 131 children.

The ministry also mentioned that the toll of "martyrs of the livelihood" – that is, victims targeted while seeking aid – has risen to 2,339 dead and more than 17,070 injuries.