- Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss actions to prevent rights abuses and ensure humanitarian aid to civilians in a phone call
- A humanitarian convoy of 20 trucks entered the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Saturday
ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg held a phone conversation to discuss the current situation in Gaza. Their discussion also centered on strategies to prevent human rights violations in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to ensure the continued delivery of humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. President Erdogan expressed his concern about the stance of Western nations, which he believes has contributed to an increase in human rights violations in Gaza. He emphasized that the failure of countries to take measures to stop Israel’s actions could lead to irreversible consequences. Erdogan further stressed the need for immediate action by the West and global public opinion to address the ongoing humanitarian crises that are occurring but often overlooked.
The conflict in Gaza began on October 7 when the Palestinian resistance group Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, involving a series of attacks, including rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel. Hamas cited the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers as reasons for their actions. In response, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with at least 4,385 Palestinians, including 1,756 children, killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, and over 1,400 people in Israel affected by the conflict.
Additionally, on Saturday, a humanitarian convoy consisting of 20 trucks began to enter the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing. This marked the first such entry since the outbreak of the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7.
