Türkiye says Israeli call for Palestinians to move to south of Gaza within 24 hours 'in no way acceptable'

By Zehra Nur Duz

The Israeli military’s call for Palestinians living in the north of Gaza Strip to move to the south of the strip within 24 hours is “in no way acceptable,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

“The forced migration of 2.5 million people in Gaza, who have endured days of indiscriminate bombing and have been denied access to electricity, water, and food, in an extremely limited area represents a blatant violation of international law and stands in stark contrast to basic human decency,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry called on Israel to immediately reverse this “grave mistake” and “immediately cease its brutal and all-out actions” against the civilian population in Gaza.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.​​​​​​​