Türkiye using all its diplomatic means to secure cease-fire in Israel-Palestine conflict: President Erdogan

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye is using all the diplomatic means at its disposal to secure a cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

On Türkiye’s priorities at this weekend’s extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit, Erdogan said the summit’s main theme will be the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

"We will gather to discuss the topic in detail and negotiate to ensure an immediate humanitarian cease-fire. We will focus on the questions: What can each country participating here do? What can the Gulf countries do?" he told journalists on his return flight from an Economic Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan, Tashkent.

"Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, we will discuss in detail what each of us can do."

Decisions coming from the summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh will be steps to stop Israel’s atrocities, he said.

"If you are sincere about a cease-fire, put pressure on Israel to implement UN resolutions," Erdogan urged Western countries.

The aim is to push Israel to allow the passage of wounded and sick people in Gaza through a humanitarian corridor where medical service can be provided, he added.

"Human rights and international law demand an immediate cessation of this dirty war," he said.

He said Israel should not place itself outside international law, adding that everybody should oppose such recklessness.

Without resolving the Israel issue, there can be no talk of peace in the region or world, and no comprehensive international legal order can be fully realized, Erdogan added.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 10,569 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,324 children and 2,823 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.