Turkish president says calls for peace in Gaza 'fruitless due to negative approach of US'

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said calls for peace in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more than 28,000 people, "unfortunately remain fruitless due to a negative approach of the US."

Speaking to reporters on his return flight from Egypt after a day-long official visit, Erdogan said the views he expressed during the start of the conflict in the Palestinian enclave were now being echoed in the West.​​​​​​​

Erdogan said that attacks on Gaza Strip, ongoing since Oct. 7 Hamas incursion, reflect Israel's “usual lack of conscience,” and underlined that security of the people in the region “cannot be compromised.”

“The world cannot ignore that solution lies in independent, sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem based on 1967 borders,” the Turkish president said.

“Is forcing civilians to supposedly safe area before bombing it in line with humanitarian values, laws of war, international law, human rights?” he questioned.

The Turkish president said Ankara's coordination and cooperation with Cairo will significantly contribute to peace, tranquility, stability of the region, adding that his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will visit Türkiye in April or May.