Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, where the two leaders held a high-level meeting focused on Israel’s escalating aggression against Gaza and broader regional security issues.

According to a statement from the Turkish Presidency, Erdoğan condemned Israel’s ongoing assaults on the besieged enclave, describing them as part of a genocide campaign that has now entered “a new and dangerous phase” with recent ground operations. He warned that Israel’s actions threaten not only the Palestinian people but also the stability of the entire region, noting that the attack against Qatar was another sign of this destabilizing strategy.

Erdoğan emphasized that international criticism of Israel’s actions is growing and highlighted Türkiye’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to increase pressure on Tel Aviv. He pledged that Ankara would continue to raise the Palestinian cause “resolutely on every platform,” including the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, where Türkiye would act as a strong voice for Palestine.

Reiterating that Türkiye’s foremost priority is to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and halt the humanitarian tragedy, Erdoğan accused Israel of deliberately undermining peace initiatives at every opportunity.

He also called for greater unity within the Islamic world, arguing that only a cohesive and determined stance could counter the threats posed by Israel’s policies. Erdoğan further underlined that the full establishment of political unity in Palestine would bolster these collective efforts and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting such initiatives.

The meeting comes amid intensifying international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with Türkiye positioning itself as a key advocate for Palestinian rights and an active player in diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the conflict. (ILKHA)