Türkiye accuses Israel of weaponizing starvation, infectious diseases in Gaza

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye on Tuesday accused Israel of employing starvation and infectious diseases as weapons against Palestinians in Gaza, urging the international community to take immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

"The recent developments in our region should not lead the international community to ignore the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry criticized Israel's intensified strikes on civilian targets, including schools and refugee camps, which have killed hundreds of Palestinians in recent days.

"Likewise, Israel's use of starvation and infectious diseases as a weapon against the Palestinian people by preventing the provision of basic humanitarian needs in Gaza should not escape the attention of the international community," the statement added.

Reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to regional peace, security, and stability, the ministry called for immediate measures to address the crisis.

"In this context, we reiterate our call for the necessary pressure to be exerted on Israel to ensure an immediate ceasefire agreement and uninterrupted humanitarian access to the region," it stressed.

"We will continue to defend the rights of the Palestinian people, international law and human dignity," it added.

Since Oct. 5, Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza to allegedly prevent Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

Since then, no sufficient humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, was allowed into the area, leaving the remaining population there on the verge of imminent famine.

The onslaught was the latest episode in a brutal Israeli war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 45,000 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.

On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants 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 for its war on Gaza.