Erdogan meets Bosnia's Becirovic, condemns Gaza 'massacre'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a closed-door meeting with Denis Becirovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Presidential Council Chairman at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.

The meeting on Saturday began with a formal welcoming ceremony for Becirovic, though no details of their discussions were released. However, both leaders addressed the press afterwards in a joint press conference where Erdogan drew a parallel between Israel's onslaught in Gaza and the genocide in Bosnia during the 1990s.

"Today, we're witnessing in Gaza a massacre similar to the one carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s," Erdogan stated. He vowed to hold Israel accountable in international courts for the deaths of civilians, including Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American peace activist killed in occupied West Bank, and the more than 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

Erdogan emphasised that, like the perpetrators of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, those responsible for the bloodshed in Gaza "will be held accountable in international courts."

In his remarks, Becirovic echoed Erdogan's sentiments, calling the situation in Gaza "the greatest disgrace in the world."

Türkiye and Bosnia have maintained strong relations, rooted in shared cultural and historical ties. The meeting and press conference further underscored the importance of their diplomatic connection amid ongoing international crises.