UPDATE - Shame international community still unable to stop bloodshed in Gaza: Turkish foreign minister

ADDS REMARKS FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan slammed the international community on Tuesday for not stopping the war against the Gaza Strip and voiced concern about the spillover effect of the war to the region.

"One hundred and nine days into the conflict, it is a shame that the international community is still unable to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank.

"Gaza used to be an open prison. Now, it is a battleground where the Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) runs military operations for killing civilians to extend his political life," Fidan told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The meeting under UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres includes senior foreign ministers and ambassadors from the 15 Council members -- together with other nations -- that will have their say on the deepening crisis in Gaza which is facing a humanitarian crisis from Israel’s unrelenting military operation, mounting death toll and escalating calls for an immediate cease-fire.

"The argument that the current war is about providing security for Israel is far from being convincing.

"Yet, the proponents of this argument never talk about the security of the Palestinians nor Palestine’s right to self-defense," said Fidan.

Stressing that Israel "commits serious war crimes," Fidan said those responsible must be held accountable to restore faith in international law and the rules-based order.

Türkiye is "seriously" concerned with reports that Israel’s war crimes in Gaza may amount to genocide, he said, underlying that Ankara welcomes South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning violations by Israel of its obligations under 1948 Genocide Convention.

"It is a timely attempt to protect the Palestinian people against further harm," he added.

- ‘We have a historical responsibility to stop this war’

Fidan stressed the need to avoid the geographical escalation of the conflict.

"Türkiye consistently warned about the risks of spill-over. Now, today that risk has become reality. Recent incidents in the Red Sea, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Pakistan are very very alarming.

"This escalation has the potential to turn into a geostrategic vortex, from which no one can easily escape," he said.

The minister urged Israel and its supporters to seek a diplomatic solution while it is still achievable.

"The ongoing war in Gaza and beyond cannot lead to a peace nor to submission. We have a historical responsibility to stop this war," said Fidan.

The minister stressed that the Council has failed "time and again" to maintain international peace and security.

"An immediate and permanent cease-fire, release of all captives by both sides and a continuous flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza is a must in the road to peace.

"To that end, we need Israel to comply with all requirements of peace and security," he added.

- 'Future of Gaza is up to Palestinians and Palestinians only'

There is a need for a unified Palestinian leadership to achieve the national quest for the dignity, independence and sovereignty of the resilient nation.

"We all know by now, the temporary measures will not work. The scenarios for the 'day-after' should not be about who will govern Gaza.

"The future of Gaza is up to the Palestinians and Palestinians only. The only 'day-after' question that needs our attention is how we will be able to safeguard a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution on 1967 borders," he said.

The focus should be on the creation of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, he reiterated.

Fidan also echoed Türkiye's call for the establishment of a guarantorship mechanism that monitors and ensure peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Most of the members of international community agree on the urgency of cease-fire, humanitarian assistance and the two-state solution. But, there is no effective mechanism for getting Israel to implement it," he said.

He warned that the continuation of the current situation in Gaza will further undermine the very fundamentals of principles and moral values of international system. "Therefore, we should act now to stop the erosion of those values that we will need for the future of humanity," he said.

Israel has pounded Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7, killing at least 25,295 Palestinians and injuring 63,000. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.