Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly to deliver a sharp rebuke of Israel’s violations in Gaza, saying Palestinians are enduring unprecedented suffering under what he described as a campaign of mass extermination.
Erdoğan said Gaza “is not a war zone,” but rather a place where “on one side stands an army, and on the other, innocent civilians being massacred.” He slammed Israel for carrying out a policy of “mass extermination,” stressing that humanity had not witnessed such brutality in the past century.
Opening his remarks by recalling the founding principles of the United Nations Charter, Erdoğan said the world body was established “to maintain international peace and security,” yet its credibility was overshadowed by “grave events unfolding across many parts of the world.”
“In Gaza, most notably, a genocide has been ongoing for over 700 days, right before our eyes,” Erdoğan said, noting that more than 65,000 civilians have been killed, including over 20,000 children. “Every single hour—for the past 23 months—a child has been brutally taken from life by Israel in Gaza. These are not simple statistics, my friends; each represents a life, an innocent human being.”
The president said Palestinians are being killed not only by bombs but also “by the weapon of hunger.” He cited U.N. figures showing at least 428 people, including 146 children, had died of starvation in Gaza in recent months. “Can such cruelty truly be justified by any reasonable cause?” he asked, holding up photographs of malnourished and wounded Palestinian children.
Erdoğan painted a grim picture of life under siege, saying Gaza’s healthcare system had collapsed, doctors were killed or detained, ambulances were targeted, and hospitals bombed. “Today, tragically, innocent toddlers—barely two or three years old, without hands, without arms, without legs— have become the ordinary image of Gaza,” he said.
He slammed Israel for silencing the press by deliberately killing 250 journalists and banning outside media from entering Gaza. “Yet still, it could not conceal the genocide,” he added, voicing support for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ repeated calls to end the violence.
“Genocide, like the Holocaust, is a barbaric concept used to describe the mass extermination of people. Yet today in Gaza, it is not only people being killed, but animals are also being deliberately targeted,” he said.
“The U.N. has failed to protect even its staff in Gaza,” Erdoğan said, pointing out that 500 aid workers had been killed, including 326 U.N. employees. He described Israel’s actions as a “policy of occupation, forced displacement, exile, genocide, or more precisely, mass murder carried out under the pretext of the Oct. 7 incident.”
Beyond Gaza, Erdoğan slammed Israel for destabilizing the wider region by striking Syria, Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and most recently even Qatar, a mediator in cease-fire negotiations. He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “no intention of making peace, nor of saving the hostages.”
Criticizing Israel for acting with an “obsession over promised lands” and pursuing expansionist policies that endanger regional peace, Erdoğan called on global leaders to take a stand. “I call on all world leaders: today is the day to stand tall, in the name of humanity, alongside the oppressed Palestinians,” he said.
He also denounced what he called a “state of madness” in Gaza, which he said disturbs even conscientious Jews, does not have their approval, and fuels antisemitism worldwide. “This can no longer continue,” he added.
The remarks came as Türkiye’s president continues to be one of the most vocal international advocates for Palestinian rights, calling for an immediate cease-fire and stronger global action to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The president also used his U.N. General Assembly address to press for diplomatic solutions to regional disputes, while reiterating Türkiye’s calls for international recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Turning to the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdoğan said Türkiye envisions the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean as “a basin of stability where the legitimate interests of all parties are respected.” He underlined Ankara’s readiness for “constructive cooperation on every issue.”
Regarding Cyprus, Erdoğan renewed his call for an end to what he described as the “unjust isolation” of Turkish Cypriots. “I invite the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to establish diplomatic, political and economic relations with it,” he said. “The international community must put an end to the unjust isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots for half a century.”
The Turkish president also broadened his address to include other flashpoints. He welcomed recent political changes in Syria, pledging continued support for “a united and undivided Syria,” and stressed that a diplomatic solution must be found for Iran’s nuclear program. “Our region cannot endure another crisis,” he said.
Erdoğan reiterated his support for Iraq’s stability, pointed to Türkiye’s role in mediating between Russia and Ukraine, and praised progress in peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He also underlined Ankara’s role in other mediation initiatives, including between Somalia and Ethiopia.
He called for diplomacy to resolve regional crises in order to prevent regional catastrophes.
“We seek a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear file. Our region cannot bear a new disaster,” Erdoğan said, stressing that stability depends on avoiding further crises.
Erdoğan also called for reforms in global governance, repeating his slogan “the world is bigger than five” and urging reforms to restore the United Nations to its founding spirit. He tied this to Türkiye’s broader foreign policy vision, citing efforts to strengthen ties with Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as Türkiye’s hosting of the 2026 NATO Summit.
In his closing remarks, Erdoğan urged the international community not to abandon the founding values of the U.N. “Without a doubt, a fairer world is possible,” he said. “Türkiye will patiently continue its efforts to build a fairer world.”