Israel's targeting of civilians seeking aid 'evidence' of intent to wipe out Palestinians: Türkiye

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) — Israel's targeting of civilians awaiting humanitarian aid in Gaza shows that it intends to "destroy the entire Palestinian population," Türkiye said Thursday after Israeli forces killed at least 112 people seeking aid.

"The fact that Israel, which has been using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, is now targeting innocent civilians who are seeking life-saving aid is evidence of Israel's intention to destroy the entire Palestinian population," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Israel has "committed yet another crime against humanity" with the killing of Palestinians in the al-Nabulsi Roundabout area south of Gaza City, the ministry warned that "the atrocity in Gaza is about to become a global catastrophe with repercussions far beyond the region.

"We therefore call on all those with influence over the Israeli government to stop the ongoing violence in Gaza."

"Israel must end its military operation in Gaza immediately. But the Israeli government does not have the common sense or the conscience to take this decision," it added.

Early Thursday, Israeli forces shot at a crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City in the "al-Nabulsi Roundabout" area, leaving at least 112 dead and 760 injured, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed and over 70,457 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’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 stands 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.