Bangladeshi foreign minister condemns Israeli war on Gaza as 'crime against humanity'

By Gokhan Celiker and Ecem Sahinli Oguc

ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) – Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Mohammed Hasan Mahmud condemned Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, calling it “ethnic cleansing.”

Speaking to Anadolu at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Turkish Antalya province, Mahmud expressed his concerns regarding the situation in the besieged enclave.

Mahmud pointed out that more than 30,000 people have been killed so far, with the majority being women and children, lamenting that Israel carried out attacks on hospitals. “In a single attack, in a single hospital, 500 people were killed.”

The minister further stated that humanitarian supply has been cut off, and electricity and water supply have also been disrupted.

Mahmud underscored that Israeli soldiers are attacking "hungry" innocent people, adding: “What is happening there (is) Israel is committing a crime against humanity, (it) is clearly ethnic cleansing. We should not allow this.”

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continued its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 30,410 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 71,700 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

- Antalya Diplomacy Forum is important for world peace

Regarding the global situation, Mahmud mentioned the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly the rise in energy prices, and the crises in Africa, alongside Israel's war on Gaza, stating that the world is in a "volatile" state.

“At this time, Antalya Diplomacy Forum can play a very vital role in establishing peace in the world.”

He expressed hope that through the forum, pressure could be exerted on Israel and other superpowers to change their policies in Gaza and halt the genocide.

- Bangladesh holds great respect for the Turkish community

Mahmud highlighted the historical roots binding Türkiye and Bangladesh, underscoring their shared values.

He emphasized the profound respect Bangladeshi people hold for the Turkish community, acknowledging the numerous Turkish civil society organizations that have extended humanitarian aid to Bangladesh and the Rohingya Muslims.

Furthermore, Mahmud advocated for enhanced cooperation between the two nations.