Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that “Israel’s genocide in Gaza had entered a new stage” with its latest ground assault and now threatening regional stability, according to a readout from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
Israel this week launched a ground assault in Gaza City, the most densely populated part of the besieged enclave, where nearly one million civilians are trapped.
Erdogan also mentioned Israel’s strike on Qatar earlier this month, saying it was “proof that it threatens not only Palestine but also regional stability.”
The Turkish president noted that the number of world leaders and opinion makers criticising Israel was growing and stressed that Türkiye was working to increase international pressure.
He vowed Ankara would continue to raise “the Palestinian cause and Israel’s aggression on every platform.”
Erdogan said Türkiye’s priority was an immediate ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pledging that his country would act as “the voice of Palestine” at the United Nations General Assembly.
“The president also stressed that the Muslim world must show greater unity to counter the Israeli threat, adding that the establishment of full political unity in Palestine would reinforce these efforts. He said Türkiye would continue to support such initiatives,” a post shared on X by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate read.
Last month, the US State Department cancelled visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the UN General Assembly in September.
The State Department said in a statement: “In accordance with US law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.”
Several Western countries, including France and the UK, have already announced plans to recognise the State of Palestine during the upcoming UN meetings.
In August, Israel’s government approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to fully reoccupy Gaza, beginning with Gaza City.
On Tuesday, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory confirmed that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.
