Erdogan criticises West, UN Security Council for failing Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the United Nations Security Council for its failure to adopt a resolution that would have allowed humanitarian aid access to Palestine's Gaza amid relentless Israeli attacks.

The UNSC, "which has become completely ineffective, has once again failed to fulfil its responsibility," Erdogan said as he took to X on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli air strike on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza killed at least 500 people.

The "heinous" attack on the hospital has taken the "massacre in Gaza ... to another dimension", Erdogan said, condemning the perpetrators of the attack "which constitutes a crime against humanity and amounts to genocide against the people of Gaza."

The Turkish president also strongly condemned Western countries, "which leave no stone unturned when it comes to human rights and freedoms," for not taking any steps to alleviate Palestinians' suffering and instead "adding fuel to the fire".

"Those who have poured fuel to the fire with the statements they have made since October 7 are as responsible for yesterday's massacre as the perpetrators," Erdogan said.

He once again drew attention to the "war crimes" committed by Israel in the last 12 days, listing the bombings of "innocent people migrating to so-called 'safe zones', border gates, mosques, schools and civilian settlements".

Erdogan also lashed out at international media organisations that have "entered a race to justify massacres with their biased and hypocritical publications".

Dire humanitarian crisis

While criticising the West, Erdogan lauded the Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation held in Jeddah.

The meeting "concretely demonstrates the determination of the Islamic world in the face of Israel's increasing oppression, its solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support for the Palestinian cause," he said.

Gaza has been experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel and medical supplies are running out.

The conflict began on October 7, 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.

It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in besieged Gaza.

At least 3,478 Palestinians have so far been killed, while the figure stands at more than 1,400 people in Israel.

Türkiye has been sparing no effort to help the people of Gaza who have been living under blockade for 17 years.

"So far, we have had phone conversations with 18 leaders at the head of state and government level," Erdogan said, adding that Türkiye delivered three planes full of humanitarian aid materials to the region in cooperation with the Egyptian authorities.

The president stressed that Türkiye "will continue to work to establish first a humanitarian ceasefire and then permanent stability."