Erdogan Accuses Israel of War Crimes, Plans to Label Leaders as ‘Terrorists’

Ankara, Turkey–  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has declared Israel a ‘terror state,’ accusing it of committing war crimes and violating international law in Gaza.

Erdogan said that Hamas gunmen are not terrorists but members of a ‘political party elected by Palestinians.’

During a party address, Erdogan declared that Turkey aims to designate Israel’s political and military figures as ‘terrorists’ and pursue their trial in international courts.

He further asserted that Israel is a ‘terrorist state’ with the objective of destroying Gaza and its besieged population.

He describes Hamas gunmen, who rampaged through southern Israel and slaughtered 1,200 Israelis on October 7, as ‘resistance fighters’ trying to protect their lands and people.

The Turkish President explained that Hamas was a political party that had been elected by Palestinians while failing to mention there hasn’t been an election in Gaza since 2006 when Hamas beat Fatah, a secular movement. Since then, Hamas has essentially seized control and imposed authoritarian rule over the territory.

Speaking to lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan also called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce whether Israel had nuclear bombs or not and added that the Israeli premier was a ‘goner’ from his post.

Erdogan escalated his critique of Israel amid the IDF’s ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip and their incursion into Gaza City’s primary hospital, where thousands are still trapped.

‘Israel is implementing a strategy of total destruction of a city and its people,’ Erdogan said. ‘I say openly that Israel is a terrorist state.’

The situation in Gaza has led to over 11,000 casualties due to Israeli airstrikes, triggered by Hamas’s alleged massacre of 1,200 civilians in southern Israel. The IDF contends that Hamas uses civilians as ‘human shields,’ hiding in tunnels beneath hospitals and homes.