Israel committing 'crimes against humanity' in Gaza: Erdogan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has called for an immediate halt to Israel’s "crimes against humanity” in the Gaza Strip where Israeli raids in the past four weeks have killed more than 9,200 Palestinians. 

Speaking at a summit in the Kazakh capital Astana on Friday, Erdogan said the occupying regime of Israel has been committing “crimes against humanity” for 28 days in the besieged Palestinian territory.

"There is no concept that could explain or excuse the brutality that we have witnessed since October 7," he said referring to the day Israel launched its relentless air attacks on the Gaza Strip after it was caught off-guard by Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by the resistance movement Hamas on that day.

“To put it bluntly: crimes against humanity have been committed in Gaza for exactly 28 days,” he said.

"Our priority is to establish a humanitarian ceasefire quickly,” said the Turkish leader.

Erdogan said his government was working on "new mechanisms that will guarantee the security of everyone, regardless of whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews.”

"Our efforts to lay the groundwork for an international peace conference continue.”

The Turkish president attended one of the largest pro-Palestinian rallies in Istanbul on Saturday, during which he promised to soon declare Israel “a war criminal” for openly committing war crimes in Gaza.

He also criticized the West for not reacting to the regime’s brutal killing of Palestinian women and children.

“The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West.”

Western countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Canada have expressed support for Israel since the regime began its genocidal campaign in the besieged territory.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a visit to Israel on Friday that the regime "has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself... to make sure that this October 7 never happens again."

Palestinian health officials said the number of people killed in the air attacks has passed 9,250 on Friday. More than 3,826 children and 2,405 women were among the dead.

MG