Türkiye calls for Israel to be held accountable on World Humanitarian Day

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye marked World Humanitarian Day on Monday with a condemnation of Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has killed over 40,000 people over the last 10 months, emphasizing the need for accountability.

"We pay tribute to those who sacrificially serve in every corner of the world," said the Turkish Foreign Ministry on X, in a tribute to humanitarian workers.

The ministry accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity, stating: "Having massacred more than 40,000 innocent Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, Israel continues to indiscriminately kill humanitarian aid workers and volunteers, especially UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees) staff."

Türkiye urged international courts to hold the Israeli government to account, stressing: "On World Humanitarian Day, we reiterate that the bloody Netanyahu government must be held accountable as soon as possible."

World Humanitarian Day is an international day dedicated to recognizing humanitarian personnel and those who have died working for humanitarian causes.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

More than 10 months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.