Israel ‘commits war crime’ by cutting off basic needs of Gazans: Turkish President Erdogan

ISTANBUL  (AA) : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused Israel of “committing war crimes” in Gaza by preventing the access of people in the besieged enclave to electricity, water and food.

“Israel, which commits war crime by cutting off electricity, water and food, is trying to prevent the oppression of the people in Gaza from being heard by cutting off their communication with the outside,” Erdogan said in a video message sent to the International Strategic Communication (Stratcom)​​​​​​​ Summit 2023 in Istanbul.

“Civilians that Israel deliberately targets are not limited to children and women. Israel also kills journalists who are trying to reveal the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza to the world despite all the difficulties,” the Turkish leader said, adding that more than 60 journalists have been killed so far in Israeli attacks.

President Erdogan also criticized some media outlets deemed as having a pro-Israel bias.

“Many media outlets, citing the Oct. 7 incident, ignored the crimes against humanity and war committed by Israel in Gaza,” he said, referring to Hamas’ attack.

“This attitude did not change even in the face of the murder of their colleagues by Israeli security forces. This unprincipled attitude affected not only the families of the journalists who lost their lives, but also the press,” he said.

“I believe that it has deeply injured the entire community. Just as we, as Türkiye, have stood by the people of Gaza and against Israeli oppression from the first day, we have not allowed Israel’s propaganda war aimed at destroying or distorting the truth.”

The President also congratulated “brave” Turkish journalists who have covered Israel’s aggression in Gaza since the tensions flared up.

“Turkish journalists, who reported the situation on the field moment to moment, displayed a truly brave stance in this process,” he said, also thanking Anadolu and TRT for their efforts in covering the conflict.

Over the past several weeks marked by conflict, many Palestinians in the densely populated Gaza strip lost contact with family members due to successive communications blackouts and difficulties in movement.

Palestinians in the northern part of the strip, including Gaza city, moved to check on their homes as well, but will not be able to return to their dwellings under a humanitarian pause agreement, which also includes a hostage swap and aid deliveries to the enclave.

Hundreds of thousands fled southward from intense Israeli strikes and a ground operation into the northern Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, when Hamas carried out a surprise attack against Israel.

On Friday, the Israeli army also dropped leaflets in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, warning Palestinians from moving to the north as it remains a war zone.

The four-day humanitarian pause between the Israeli army and Hamas came into effect on Friday morning in all areas of the Gaza Strip, temporarily stopping attacks for prisoner exchange and aid.