Turkish president urges Israel to halt attacks on Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Israel's actions in the region, calling for an immediate cessation of what he described as "inhumane" attacks on Gaza.

President Erdogan made these remarks to journalists during his return flight from Germany, urging Israel to cease its ongoing massacres and halt the inhumane assaults, Caliber.Az reports citing the Turkish media.

"To this day, it is Israel that has persisted with attacks and ongoing massacres. Israel continues to disregard human rights and international law," Erdogan emphasized.

He also voiced apprehensions about Israel's regional aspirations, asserting, "Israeli leaders threaten Lebanon to relieve their own pressures. Israel must abandon its agenda of escalating conflicts in the region."

Regarding Türkiye's relationship with Syria, Erdogan hinted at a possible improvement in relations.

"If Bashar al-Assad takes a step towards enhancing relations with Türkiye, we will respond in kind," he stated, highlighting a readiness to reconcile. Erdogan also mentioned, "We will extend an invitation to Assad. Our goal is to restore Türkiye-Syria relations to their previous level."

Speaking about relations with Iran, Erdogan emphasized the significance of the historical and cultural bonds between Türkiye and Iran. "Iran is an important neighbor with whom we share deep historical and cultural ties. I anticipate that Türkiye-Iran relations will progress positively in the coming period," he stated.

Erdogan also highlighted Türkiye's strategic partnership with the UK, expressing commitment to further strengthening it. "We will continue to bolster our relations with our ally, the UK, across all fields in the upcoming period," he affirmed.

The conflict between Israel and Gaza is a longstanding and complex issue rooted in historical, political, and territorial disputes. Gaza, a Palestinian territory governed by Hamas since 2007, has experienced recurrent tensions and military confrontations with Israel. These conflicts often involve rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli territory and Israeli military operations in response, leading to casualties and humanitarian crises on both sides.