Erdogan denounces 'genocide' in Gaza and promises consequences for Israel

07 October 2024 / Interviews

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a series of harsh statements on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. In messages posted on the social network X, Erdogan accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, promising that the Jewish state would pay for its actions.

Erdogan, known for his strong support for the Palestinian cause and Hamas, said: "Israel will sooner or later pay the price for this genocide that it has been perpetrating for a year and which is still ongoing." The Turkish president also compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, saying that "just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his murderous network will be stopped in the same way." He called the Israeli leader the "butcher of Gaza."

Criticizing the international community's inaction in the face of ongoing events in Gaza and Lebanon, Erdogan said that "a world that does not demand accountability for the Gaza genocide will never find peace." He called for an end to what he described as Israel's "longstanding policy of genocide, occupation and invasion."

The statements come as Israel continues its military operations against Hamas in Gaza and faces exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Turkish president also highlighted the heavy human toll of the ongoing conflict, saying that "for exactly 365 days, 50.000 of our brothers and sisters, most of them women and children, have been brutally murdered."

Meanwhile, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned Monday that Israel bears full responsibility for an escalation that he said could push the Middle East into a "full-scale regional war." He condemned Israeli actions in Gaza, which have now spread to Lebanon, and expressed concern that the conflict could plunge the region into an uncontrollable situation.

These strong and accusatory statements highlight the growing tensions in the Middle East, exacerbated by the ongoing clashes between Israel and Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups, while the international community remains divided on how to respond to this new phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.