ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said what has been happening in Gaza since last October 7 is not a war, it is genocide.
He added Ankara seeks a ceasefire soon in Gaza so that the people of the besieged enclave can breathe “a little easier.”
He said Türkiye at this week’s NATO summit in Washington has clearly stated that more pressure needs to be put on Israel for peace in the region.
Erdogan added that no country in the region including Türkiye can feel safe as long as Israel continues to seek its security by occupying more areas.
“What has been happening in Gaza since last October 7 is not a war, it is genocide,” he said during his speech at the National Defense University Graduation Ceremony.
According to the Gaza health ministry, Israel’s relentless bombardment has killed at least 38,443 Palestinians mostly women and children and wounded 88,295 in the besieged Palestinian enclave. It says more than 10,000 are estimated to be buried under the debris while more than 9,500 were abducted by Tel Aviv.
Erdogan, on Türkiye’s counter-terrorism operations around its borders, said Ankara will soon be closing its anti-terrorist in northern Iraq.
Earlier this year, Erdogan stated that this summer would witness a decisive Turkish action against terrorists in northern Iraq, near the Turkish border.
According to the Turkish media terrorist groups, especially the PKK, often hide in northern Iraq to plot on Turkish soil.
