Erdogan & Pope Discuss Israeli-Palestinian Conflict And Human Rights Violations

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkey)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone with Pope Francis regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and increasing human rights violations.

According to Turkey's Communications Directorate, Erdogan said Israel's attack on Gaza, which has no justification in any holy book, has reached the level of massacre, and it is a shame for the international community to turn a blind eye to it.

Reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Thursday, October 26, he emphasized that every country must speak out against this humanitarian tragedy.

In a region that is sacred to three Abrahamic religions – including those of Pope Francis – lasting peace can only be achieved through the creation of an independent, sovereign and geographically close Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem based on the 1967 borders, Erdogan told the Pope.

Erdogan further highlighted Turkey's efforts to send humanitarian aid and medicine to Gaz and called on everyone to actively support such efforts to ensure that the delivery of aid to innocent civilians is not disrupted.

The conflict in Gaza began on October 7 when the Palestinian group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise attack that included a series of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air.

Hamas said the attack was retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increasing violence carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

In response, the Israeli military then launched non-stop bombings against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. More than 7,900 people died in the conflict, including at least 6,546 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents have run out of food, water, medicine and fuel, and aid convoys recently allowed into Gaza carried only a fraction of what was needed.