Türkiye says Israel’s Gaza attacks deal ‘major blow’ to Palestinians’ rights, shared values of humanity

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday condemned Israel’s 14-month-long attacks in Gaza, saying they undermine both the fundamental rights of Palestinians and shared human values.

“The ongoing inhumane attacks in Gaza deal a significant blow not only to the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people but also to the shared values of all humanity,” Fidan said in a statement marking Human Rights Day.

Fidan described the situation as a “tragedy,” highlighting what he called the failure of the international system. He urged countries to take a “principled and consistent stance” without “double standards” to protect human dignity and shared values.

“To avoid carrying this shame into the future, it is the obligation of all countries to stop the massacre of civilians in Gaza and take action to establish lasting peace,” he said.

Fidan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to cooperating with the international community to halt the violence, meet the needs of the Palestinian people, and work toward establishing a fully independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on 1967 borders.

He also stressed Türkiye’s determination to combat rising hate crimes, including racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, calling for concrete steps to address these issues.

Fidan concluded by expressing hope for a “just and peaceful world order where human rights and human values are prioritized.”