Türkiye calls on all actors to make serious push for peace in Middle East

Amid tension and conflict between Israel and Palestine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on all influential actors in the region to make a serious push for peace in the Middle East.

"We call on all influential actors in the region to assume responsibility for the establishment of peace, acting on the principle that 'there are no losers in a just peace'," Erdogan told a news conference with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Erdogan said any step that could escalate tension, cause more bloodshed, or exacerbate the problems in the region must be avoided.

"Adding fuel to the fire, targeting civilians and civilian settlements in particular will benefit no one," he added.

The president said he believes the current heightened state of Israeli-Palestinian tension will not end in just a week or two.

Erdogan said he would also speak later Tuesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the situation, adding: "We will continue talks with Gulf countries."

'Tragedy experienced by people of Gaza'

Erdogan reiterated that lasting peace can only come to the Middle East with a final solution to the Palestine-Israel problem.

"An independent, geographically integrated state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, needs to be realised," he said.

Gaza has been subjected to heavy bombardment for two days, Erdogan said, adding: "We continue our efforts to alleviate the tragedy experienced by the people of Gaza and deliver humanitarian assistance to the region. Türkiye will do its best to stop the conflicts as soon as possible and reduce the tension."

"There is currently no water supply to Gaza. What about human rights? There is no electricity provided. What about human rights? According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, you can’t cut off the water," Erdogan stressed, decrying Israel’s cutoffs of Gaza’s basic utilities this week.

The president also said that the hospitals in Gaza are being hit, adding: "Nobody says anything while this is being done."

Hamas on Saturday shot a barrage of rockets and sent dozens of fighters to attack Israeli towns near the Gaza.

Hamas said the surprise attack was in response to Israeli violations of the flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem and growing violence by Israeli settlers.

Israel retaliated with a series of airstrikes on besieged Gaza and imposed a total blockade on the territory, home to nearly 2.3 million people.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 830 Palestinians have so far been killed and 4,250 others injured in Israeli bombardment.

More than 1,000 Israelis have been killed, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.

'US is arming terrorist groups'

"America is sending its aircraft carrier to Israel. What is America's aircraft carrier doing in Israel? ... It will step into very serious massacres by attacking and destroying Gaza and its surroundings.”

He added: “I have to explain something here. Look, there are over 20 American bases in Syria today. What are America's bases doing in Syria? ... Unfortunately, America (last week) shot down one of Türkiye's unmanned aerial vehicles. While America shot down the unmanned aerial vehicle, isn't Türkiye currently America's partner in NATO?

"How do we explain this? How will we evaluate this?... Unfortunately, America is currently training, and arming all terrorist groups, and unfortunately, it is turning these places into bloodbaths, whether in Syria, in this region or in the Middle East," Erdogan said.

The United States has called the downing of the drone last Thursday a “regrettable incident,” but has not explained why US troops were near YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria after Turkish officials warned third parties to steer clear.

Türkiye has accused the terrorist group YPG/PKK of trying to form a terror corridor near its borders, as well as being behind a foiled attack on the Interior Ministry in Ankara on Oct. 1. After the attack, Turkish officials said any facilities associated with the terrorist group were fair targets.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.