President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday criticized Israel for using hunger as a weapon in Gaza and pledged Türkiye’s full support for the enclave’s reconstruction, saying his country is “ready to put its entire body under the stone” to help Palestinians rise again.
Speaking at the opening of the TRT World Forum 2025 in Istanbul, Erdoğan said the global community’s inaction amid Israel’s attacks had deepened a humanitarian tragedy that “shamed humanity.”
“Türkiye is ready to put not just its hand but its entire body under the stone to help Gaza stand up again as soon as possible,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.
Erdoğan also condemned Israel’s military power, asking, “How can anyone still call it innocent when it possesses nuclear arms, the strongest bombs, and the power to strike Gaza whenever it wants?” He also sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He decried what he called Israel’s “propaganda machine built on lies,” noting that 270 journalists have been killed while reporting on the conflict. “There is hardly a single intact building left in Gaza. Schools, churches, mosques, hospitals have all been bombed. And they still call Israel innocent! How can that be?”
The Turkish president also criticized international institutions and the global media for failing to hold Israel accountable.
“Institutions tasked with preserving global peace and stability have not taken a single step to stop the massacres, prevent genocide, or save the lives of children,” Erdoğan said.
He reiterated support for the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, saying it had honored cease-fire agreements while accusing Israel of seeking “excuses to resume its massacres.”
“Everyone knows Israel’s terrible record when it comes to honoring agreements,” he said.
Erdoğan’s remarks come as Ankara has intensified diplomatic outreach on Gaza, calling for greater humanitarian access amid the fragile cease-fire. Türkiye has long advocated for a two-state solution and has sharply criticized Western governments for what it sees as unconditional support for Israel.
Global disorder and moral crisis
Shifting to a broader view of global politics, Erdoğan warned that humanity was facing “an era of painful transformation” marked by conflicts, inequality and moral decay.
“Despite the communication revolution of the past 20 years, children continue to die from Asia to Africa. We all must question ourselves,” he said.
Erdoğan also expressed concern about what he called “attacks on the family institution,” criticizing digital platforms for promoting “deviant movements” and “unnatural relationships.”
“The concept of freedom is being distorted to legitimize immorality,” he said. “People now expose their privacy just to gain a few likes.”
Other conflicts and ‘Global Reset’
Touching on the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan voiced hope for a negotiated settlement that would allow the “two neighboring peoples to live side by side in peace once again.”
He also condemned the ongoing violence in Sudan’s city of el-Fasher, saying Türkiye “strongly condemns the atrocities committed against civilians.”
The TRT World Forum, organized by Türkiye’s public broadcaster TRT, brings together policymakers, academics, journalists and civil society figures to discuss international issues. This year’s edition, themed “The Global Reset: From the Old Order to New Realities,” features 132 speakers from 35 countries and more than 2,000 participants.
Erdoğan praised TRT for its “human-centered approach to broadcasting” and for amplifying “the voice of truth to all corners of the world.”
“Considering the difficult period our world and region are going through, such a fertile environment of ideas becomes even more valuable,” he said. “The discussions and ideas that rise here, I hope, will contribute to humanity’s search for peace and stability.”
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