Erdoğan compared casualties in Gaza Strip to victims in Ukraine
President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (photo: Getty Images)
Türkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul. During his speech, he accused the West of bloodshed in the Gaza Strip and drew comparisons between the Palestinian casualties and the victims of Russian aggression against Ukraine, according to Anadolu .
"Those who shed crocodile tears for peaceful civilians killed in the Ukrainian-Russian war silently observe the deaths of thousands of innocent children in the Gaza Strip," he stated.
At the same time, the Turkish leader declared that Ankara would not tolerate attacks on civilians in Israel.
"We mourn for every peaceful resident, but Israel couldn't care less. We've shed tears for the residents of many regions, from Crimea to Karabakh, from Bosnia to Kirkuk, from Palestine to Turkestan, from Afghanistan to Chechnya," he stated.
Erdoğan also made a cynical statement about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
"The main culprit for the bloodshed unfolding in the Gaza Strip is the West," Erdoğan said, without mentioning that the conflict escalated with a HAMAS terrorist attack on Israel.
Erdoğan also claimed that Türkiye would present Israel to the world as a war criminal.
"Of course, every country has the right to defend itself, but where is justice? In the Gaza Strip, it's not defense; it's open, brutal butchery," he stated.
War in Israel
Three weeks after the incursion of HAMAS militants into Israel, a new escalation in the conflict in the Middle East has occurred. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have deployed their troops to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
According to The New York Times, Israeli tanks have entered the Gaza Strip. The IDF claims that Hamas terrorists will face their wrath shortly but assures that it's not a ground operation at this point.
During the night and morning, the Gaza Strip is under heavy bombardment from the Israeli military. The IDF's aircraft have targeted 150 tunnels and underground bunkers in the northern part of Gaza. Israel has also announced the elimination of two senior Hamas leaders responsible for the group's air capabilities.
