Türkiye’s opposition leader expressed his support for the Palestinian people. His remarks came after the ongoing deadly attacks by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip.
“We want the Palestinian people to reclaim their own lands. We call for respect for all sacred sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said during his address at the party’s parliamentary group meeting.
Expressing their demands as a party, Kılıçdaroğlu said the inhumane blockade against the Palestinian people should be lifted and the bloodshed should be ended. “We advocate for the establishment of a Middle East peace and cooperation organization to bring peace to the Middle East.”
“This is our policy,” he said, claiming, “But it is currently the government’s responsibility to implement it.”
‘Unacceptable to any human being’
Kılıçdaroğlu, stating that the Israel-Palestine conflict continues, said that the killing of children, women, and the elderly is unacceptable to any human being. He went on to say that their “greatest wish” is for the war to end “as soon as possible.”
Eleven days into the conflict, Israel’s bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with more than 1 million people displaced — almost half of Gaza’s population, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
How fighting started
The fighting began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood — a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air.
Meanwhile, Kılıçdaroğlu pointed out that Israel has faced its harshest criticism from Israeli intellectuals regarding its policy, which is essentially an expression of global support for the Palestinian cause.
Hamas said the Oct. 7 incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
At least 2,848 Palestinians, including 750 children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, while the death toll from such Israeli attacks in the West Bank has reached 60.
More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the armed conflict.
Breaking News Turkey with agencies
