President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on more countries to recognize the State of Palestine, amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as Israel continues to carry out attacks and block humanitarian aid.
"The struggle for freedom, for which Palestinians have paid heavy prices, must be supported by all of humanity on the basis of law and diplomacy," Erdoğan said at a news conference with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the Turkish capital Ankara.
NATO member Türkiye has been very critical of Israel for its attacks on Gaza that have killed over 35,000 people, mostly women and children, and backed steps to try its leadership at the World Court for genocide. It has repeatedly called for an immediate cease-fire, sent thousands of tons of aid and urged the West to exert pressure on Israel to allow increased aid flows to reach Gazans.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave's access to food, clean water and medicine, pushing millions, particularly residents of northern Gaza, to the verge of starvation.
Türkiye has sent over tens of thousands of tons of aid, mostly food and water, to Gaza by air and sea.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Stating that the meeting with Kobakhidze also focused on current regional and global issues, Erdoğan said that they shared their assessments of the atrocities in Gaza and the responsibilities of the international community.
Noting that the decision taken by the U.N. General Assembly on May 10 demonstrated the stance of the international community, Erdoğan said that he finds the ongoing support actions for Palestine around the world very meaningful and valuable in terms of human conscience.
The Israeli army expanded its military operation in Jabalia on Wednesday as part of its ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Israel continued its brutal onslaught on the Palestinian enclave despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the devastated territory.
More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.
Bilateral ties between 2 nations
Emphasizing the strong bond between two "friendly, neighboring and strategic partner" countries, Erdoğan stated that they had fruitful discussions with Kobakhidze.
Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability and prosperity of Georgia, adding: "I expressed that our support for Georgia's integration efforts with European Atlantic institutions will continue."
Stating that bilateral trade volume between the two nations reached $3 billion, Erdoğan said that the new target is over $5 billion.
He also underlined that Türkiye continues to work to fully "reactivate" the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, which he called the Middle Corridor's backbone.
Erdoğan said he and Kobakhidze focused on steps to enhance the two countries' "effectiveness" in fighting terror groups and organized crime, particularly the PKK and Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Erdoğan reiterated his determination to fight against "illegitimate entities" that threaten the "peace and even the lives of our citizens, both domestically and internationally."
"The breath of our state will continue to be on the necks of members of terrorist and criminal organizations," he added.
Referring to a shooting on Wednesday that targeted Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Erdoğan vowed to "continue to stand against any action that threatens peace, stability and security in our region."
In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S., and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fethullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded in Türkiye.