President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated on Friday that Türkiye’s principled stance on Gaza will be vindicated by history, much like its position on Syria.
“Just as we have been proven right in the case of Syria, history will attest to our righteousness in the Gaza crisis as well,” President Erdogan said at a Türkiye Exporters Assembly event in Istanbul.
He said Türkiye’s commitment to justice, peace, and compassion will be proven to be the right approach.
Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The change came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters swiftly seized key cities in an offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
‘We are working tirelessly for lasting peace’
As winter deepens the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Turkish president said they cannot tolerate the loss of another innocent life.
“We are working tirelessly to end the massacres and pave the way for lasting peace,” Erdoğan said. “God willing, we hope to see positive results from these multifaceted efforts in the near future.”
The U.N.’s migration agency warned nearly 1 million Gazans need urgent winter assistance as hypothermia claimed at least seven infants.
President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye has provided 100,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza through various channels to “alleviate the suffering of its people.”
He emphasized Türkiye’s commitment to supporting diplomatic initiatives aimed at securing broader international recognition for the state of Palestine, stating that the country has both supported and led such efforts.
Erdoğan also underlined that Türkiye is the only country that has completely halted trade with Israel.
In May, Türkiye halted all trade with Israel which amounts to some $9.5 billion, amid the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.
In addition, the president mentioned completing the negotiations to expand the Palestine Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
“On behalf of myself and my nation, I thank all the representatives of our business community who supported this decision by our government in solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he said.
Earlier, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said at the event that Türkiye and Palestine decided to expand the FTA last year.
As part of the deal, Palestine was granted concessions on 41 agricultural products, and the quota for dates was increased to 7,000 tons.
Despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, the Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 45,600 victims, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.