Turkey and Islamic Nations Denounce Israeli Assaults in Gaza

In response to deadly attacks on Gaza's Nasser Hospital, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a forceful condemnation of Israel, describing the strikes as an assault on humanity.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), representing 57 member states, also criticized Israel's actions, including plans for full military control of Gaza and targeting of journalists, calling them potential war crimes.

Speaking from Türkiye's eastern province of Bitlis, Erdogan accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of carrying out relentless attacks aimed at destroying civilian life and infrastructure. Reports from Gaza confirm that at least 20 people, including patients, healthcare workers, civil defense personnel, and journalists, were killed in the hospital strike.

The OIC echoed Erdogan's statements in an emergency session held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The organization condemned efforts to occupy Gaza fully and displace Palestinians, placing responsibility for the ongoing conflict on Israel for rejecting a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas. The OIC highlighted that such an agreement could have eased the humanitarian crisis, secured the release of hostages, and allowed urgent aid to reach those in need.

The bloc also criticized Netanyahu's rhetoric about "Greater Israel," labeling it extreme and inflammatory, and accused Israel of undermining the two-state solution through settlement expansion in the West Bank. The targeting of journalists was described as a grave violation of international law and press freedom.

The statement urged countries to take concrete actions such as imposing sanctions, reviewing diplomatic relations, and pressing the UN Security Council to intervene under Chapter VII. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with Palestinian authorities reporting over 62,700 deaths since October and severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

International legal action is also intensifying, with arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court and proceedings at the International Court of Justice over alleged war crimes and genocide.