Erdoğan reiterates call for ceasefire in Gaza at G20 Summit
RIO DE JANEIRO
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that the risk of famine in Gaza has reached "catastrophic" levels, urging world leaders to implement an immediate ceasefire.
“More than 2 million people in Gaza, or 96 percent of its population, lack access to healthy food and water. With increasing attacks and the approaching winter, the conditions of the people of Gaza are worsening day by day," Erdoğan told a G20 session in Brazil on Nov. 18.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye has delivered over 86,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories, which remain under an Israeli blockade.
"The risk of famine, especially in Gaza, has reached catastrophic levels according to international classifications," he said. "I call once again for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the face of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza."
The president praised Brazil’s initiative to establish a global alliance against hunger and poverty, commending the G20 presidency's focus on the issue.
“On the other hand, civilians whose lives have been upended by conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, especially in Gaza, must not be left to their fate,” he said.
On the sidelines of the summit, Erdoğan met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss bilateral relations and regional security. Erdoğan expressed concerns over Israel’s actions in Palestine and Lebanon, stating they pose a “global security risk” and that halting such actions would promote world peace.
Erdoğan also held informal talks with leaders of the Mexico-Indonesia-South Korea-Türkiye-Australia (MIKTA) platform, as well as Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
On. Nov. 17, Erdoğan met his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, ahead of the summit, commending his criticism of Israel.
He praised Lula's "stance against Israeli aggression," according to a statement from the Turkish president's office. He outlined Türkiye's efforts at the United Nations to curb arms sales to Israel and push for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian territories as part of a two-state solution.
He also criticized the United Nations for failing to prevent conflicts, particularly in Gaza, labeling the organization as "inadequate in addressing global crises."
Lula has previously accused Israel of "genocide" in Gaza and likened it to the Holocaust, a position shared by Türkiye. Israel and Brazil have withdrawn their respective ambassadors.
The meeting also focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Türkiye and Brazil, with Erdoğan emphasizing the importance of high-level dialogue in fostering a strategic partnership.
The two-day Rio summit brought together leaders from the world’s largest economies and covered topics such as global economic concerns, climate change and international security.
