Türkiye's Erdogan calls upon West to be in right side of history

Israel's attacks on Palestine's Gaza have long crossed the threshold of self-defence and turned into open oppression, brutality, massacres, and barbarism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stressed.

"Nobody should expect us to stay silent while atrocities are happening before our eyes," Erdogan said at a meeting of the Family Council in the capital Ankara on Thursday.

"Surely, history keeps an account of those who remain silent in the face of the funerals of innocent children lined up on cold concrete, and those who speak out in difficult times, who work and strive for the establishment of peace and tranquility," he said.

Those who see the massacre in Gaza and turn their eyes away are the ones who should hold themselves accountable, he added.

Criticising the European Union for failing to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, Erdogan said: "How many more children must die for the EU Commission to call for a ceasefire?"

"How many more bombs must fall on Gaza for the UN Security Council to take action?" he added, continuing his criticisms of the body’s ineffectuality.

EU's support for Israel

The European Commission’s lead spokesperson on foreign affairs, Peter Stano, on Wednesday said the bloc has not called for a ceasefire due to the ongoing "attacks" from the Palestinian resistance group Hamas and reiterated the EU's support for Israel.

"Those who readily pass judgment on human rights and freedoms when the opportunity arises have been ignoring the right to life of the oppressed in Gaza for 19 years," Erdogan said.

He added that since the conflict began nearly three weeks ago, accompanied by a draconian cutoff of utilities for Gaza, Türkiye has sent over 200 tonnes of aid to get to Gaza through Egypt.

In recent days, Israel has let a trickle of aid enter the enclave, far less than the amount its 2.3 million residents need.

The conflict in Gaza began when the Palestinian resistance group Hamas initiated Operation Al Aqsa Flood – a multi-pronged surprise attack on October 7 that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched an indiscriminate bombardment in Gaza, targeting hospitals, schools, civilian residential areas, and even evacuation convoys.

Nearly 8,000 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 6,546 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.