Türkiye's justice minister criticizes US, Israel over Gaza conflict

By Gokce Karakose and Mehmet Yusuf Melikoglu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc criticized the US and Israel on Saturday, accusing them of blocking a cease-fire in Gaza and committing acts that amount to genocide.

Speaking to reporters in Istanbul before the gala screening of the documentary Al-Shifa Hospital – 14 Days of Horror, prepared by the Recorded for Humanity Initiative and Al Jazeera 360 with Anadolu as the global communications partner, Tunc told how Al-Shifa Hospital was destroyed by Israel in front of the eyes of the world, with a great many people killed.

He condemned US support for Israel, particularly highlighting the standing ovation most members of the US Congress gave last month to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He said: "The members of that Congress, by applauding, declared to the world their complicity in crimes of genocide. We witnessed a dark stain in world history."

He also lamented international institutions’ failure to halt the violence in Gaza, noting that over 40,000 Palestinians, including 17,000 children and more than 10,000 women, have been killed since last Oct. 7.

He criticized Israel for disregarding over a hundred UN resolutions over the past century and condemned the lack of enforcement by international bodies, including the UN Security Council.

Reaffirming Türkiye's commitment to support Palestine, both through diplomatic efforts and humanitarian aid, under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he stressed the need for an ICC investigation into Israel's actions to proceed swiftly and for the International Court of Justice to address its violations of the Genocide Convention.

He concluded by expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemning the ongoing attacks by Israel.

Tunc praised the Turkish media, especially Anadolu, for its role in documenting the atrocities, underscoring the significance of this documentation in future legal proceedings.