Erdoğan urges global outcry over Gaza crisis

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the international community — particularly Islamic nations — to raise their voices against the “genocide” in Gaza, comparing the situation to Nazi-era atrocities.

“The images coming out of Gaza are far worse, more brutal and more inhumane than those from Nazi camps,” Erdoğan said during a joint press conference with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Ankara.

Erdoğan accused Israel of deliberately using starvation as a weapon against Palestinians and called the humanitarian situation “catastrophic.”

"A people is being killed by starvation and thirst before the eyes of the world... Innocent children are dying either from starvation or from bullets fired by Israeli occupation forces," he said.

"It is imperative that everyone, especially Islamic countries, all countries with a conscience and all peoples raise their voices even louder."

Erdoğan’s remarks came after he hosted Tokayev at the presidential complex, where the two leaders signed 20 cooperation agreements in sectors ranging from energy and defense to artificial intelligence and education.

Erdoğan described Kazakhstan as Türkiye's largest trading partner in the region and reiterated the bilateral goal of increasing trade volume to $15 billion.

The leaders also discussed regional and global developments, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in Afghanistan. However, Erdoğan placed particular emphasis on the Gaza conflict, which he said had become an urgent moral test for the world.

“Israel is committing genocide against our Gazan brothers and sisters, whom it has imprisoned in an area of 360 square kilometers,” he said. “We will continue to do whatever is necessary in this regard. We will hopefully see the day when those who commit genocide are held accountable before the law and history.”

Tokayev, in turn, praised Erdoğan’s leadership and described Türkiye as “a respected state in the international arena.” He said the two countries had elevated their ties to a strategic partnership and announced new investment projects worth $6 billion.

In a symbolic gesture of bilateral solidarity, Erdoğan awarded Tokayev the State Order, marking the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

“You have demonstrated a sincere desire to further strengthen the exceptional bonds of brotherhood and friendship between us,” Erdoğan said.