Gaza belongs to Palestinians, along with West Bank and East Jerusalem: Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during a press conference after the Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Türkiye on April 28, 2025. (AA Photo)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that the Gaza Strip, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, belongs to the Palestinians. “Just like East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Gaza belongs to the Palestinians. God willing, our brothers and sisters in Gaza will continue to live forever on the land where they were born,” Erdogan said following a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.
Referring to the April 18 meeting of the Group of Parliaments in Support of Palestine, hosted by Türkiye, Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
“The Palestinian people have repeatedly shown that they will not surrender, will not abandon their homeland, and will never bow to oppression – despite all the hardships and all the acts of barbarism,” he said.
“For the past 18 months, Gaza has witnessed not only some of the most brutal massacres of the past century but also an epic resistance that stands as a source of pride for all humanity,” he added.
‘Everything we say is for the peace’
Condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, Erdogan stressed that nothing can be achieved through bloodshed, nor by cutting off food and medical aid.
“Now it must be recognized that no place can be reached in Gaza by shedding more blood, killing more children, and leaving people hungry, thirsty, and without medicine,” Erdogan said.
He called on all parties to “come to their senses and avoid recklessly squandering the windows of opportunity that have opened for stability in our region,” adding that Türkiye’s goal is regional peace.
“Everything we say is for the peace, safety, and coexistence of all the peoples in our region. God willing, we will continue to work for peace and stability in the future as well,” Erdogan concluded.
Over 52,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on the enclave.
