Erdoğan, Abbas discuss latest developments in Gaza
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spoken with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone to discuss the latest developments regarding the continued offensive by the Israeli military on the Palestinians in Gaza, reiterating once again the need for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave.
According to a statement by Communications Directorate President Fahrettin Altun, the two presidents reviewed the general situation in Gaza, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed at the hands of Israel since October.
Erdoğan told Abbas that Israel will surely pay the price of its oppression and all means should be mobilized for a ceasefire, including a resolution by the U.N. Security Council. He also underlined that Türkiye will continue to stand against Israel’s brutality.
The call comes after Türkiye announced that it bans the exports of 54 goods to Israel in reaction to the latter’s blockage on Türkiye’s efforts to airdrop humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
Ankara slams attack on TRT reporters
Meanwhile, according to reports, the Israeli army has targeted a group of journalists who were reporting from a refugee camp in Gaza. TRT Arabic reporter Sami Shahadaa was among the journalists seriously injured due to the attack.
In separate statements, the spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ömer Çelik, and Altun slammed Israel for targeting journalists who were trying to cover the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.
“We are once again cursing the Israeli army – which has been mercilessly slaughtering Palestinians in Gaza - for targeting the journalists who are reporting the humanitarian situation in the region to the world,” Çelik said in a statement on his social media.
Altun, for his part, condemned “the vile attack,” stressing that this “terrorism must stop.”
“This is terror. This terror must stop and the Western world should immediately oppose this brutality,” he stated.
Özgür Özel, the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has also condemned the attack through his social media account. “I curse Israel for targeting the journalists,” he said on X.