UPDATE - Israel will ‘pay price’ for oppression in Gaza, Turkish president tells Palestinian counterpart

UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS FROM TÜRKIYE’S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Zehra Nur Duz

Israel will “pay the price” for its oppression in Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas.

In a phone call with Abbas, Erdogan said: “All means must be mobilized for a cease-fire in Gaza, including (the implementation of the) UN Security Council resolution,” according to Türkiye’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.

"No matter what, we will continue to stand tall against Israel's barbaric attacks on Gaza, and Israel will surely pay the price for this tyranny," Altun quoted Erdogan as saying.

Erdogan also underlined the necessity for unity among all Palestinian groups and stressed the importance of standing firm and united against Israel, Altun told Turkish public broadcaster TRT.

Earlier, a TRT Arabic team vehicle, which was preparing for broadcast in the Nuseirat camp located in the middle of the Gaza Strip, was attacked by the Israeli army.

Sami Shahada, who worked as an independent cameraman, was seriously injured and underwent surgery. TRT Arabic reporter Sami Berhum escaped unhurt.

Altun expressed outrage over the Israeli army's airstrike on the TRT Arabic team's vehicle.

"We are determined to strongly raise our voice against Israel's oppression, massacres, and genocide, and to stand by the truth," he said.

"Today, Sami Shahada, as a representative of truth, as a journalist standing for truth, fell victim to the Israeli attack," the communications director said.

Altun wished him a speedy recovery and extended his get well wishes to the TRT family.

He said that the attack on the TRT Arabic team was “deliberate,” similar to the previous attacks carried out by Israel against 140 journalists.

"Here, we see an Israel devoid of ethical principles and ignorant of international law,” said Altun.

“Unfortunately, here we see how western and international media organizations, which can set an agenda whenever they want in a completely artificial way under the guise of press freedom, bury their heads in the sand,” he stressed.

"This is not just an attack on journalists carrying out their duties; it has been systematically ongoing since Oct. 7,” Altun added.

He highlighted journalists' commitment to exposing Israel's oppression to the world, saying that Türkiye will continue its efforts through TRT, Anadolu, and other media organizations.

Israel has waged a military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed around 1,200 people.

More than 33,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the seaside enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while much of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has urged it to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.