ISTANBUL
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Türkiye’s righteous position on Gaza will be vindicated by history just as it was in 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,” Erdogan said. “God willing, we hope to see positive results from these multifaceted efforts in the near future.”
The UN’s migration agency warned nearly 1 million Gazans need urgent winter assistance as hypothermia claimed at least 7 infants.
President Erdogan 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.
Erdogan 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 Omer 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 UN 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.
