Türkiye on Friday called for the perpetrators of the massacres in the Gaza Strip to be held to account, saying they must not go unpunished.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Istanbul alongside Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the importance of international pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and prevent further suffering of the Palestinian people.
Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s support for the genocide case initiated by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice, underscoring Türkiye’s involvement in the legal proceedings.
A legal delegation submitted a 43-page declaration to the world court on Wednesday for Türkiye to intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel. The move is Ankara’s efforts to step up measures against Israel over the assault on Gaza. The declaration details Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and cites Türkiye’s justifications for joining the case, which officials said complies with ICJ precedents and the court’s advisory ruling regarding Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The ICJ, the highest legal body of the United Nations set up in 1945 to deal with disputes between states, in a landmark ruling on July 19 said that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is against international law.
“The region cannot endure more tensions, conflicts or wars. Israel must be stopped,” Fidan stated, directing his message to countries that unconditionally support Israel and supply it with weapons.
“It is clear who is escalating the tension. Stop blaming the wrong parties. Achieving peace and stability in the Middle East requires reining in Israel’s actions. Those who support Israel unconditionally are complicit in the massacre in Gaza.”
Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to peace and stability in the region, stressing the urgent need to halt Israel’s aggressive policies to avoid further complicity in the ongoing violence.
Ibrahimovic is visiting Türkiye to discuss bilateral ties, Gaza and other issues with Turkish officials.
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
In May, Türkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza. In contrast to Western nations that have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, Erdogan has commended the group, calling it a liberation movement.
South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the genocide convention through its military operations in Gaza. In that case, the court called on Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide and recently ordered the country to “ensure urgent humanitarian assistance” in Gaza without delay.
The ICJ in May then ordered Israel to halt its Rafah offensive and demanded the release of hostages and the “unhindered provision” of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The Hague-based ICJ, whose orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement mechanisms, also instructed Israel to keep open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza after Israel seized the Palestinian side in May, effectively shutting it.
Israel has repeatedly dismissed the rulings, insisting that the court had gotten it wrong and arguing in court that its operations in Gaza, which killed at least 39,000 Palestinians, are self-defense and targeted at Hamas, who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Spain and Palestinian officials have sought to join the case. The court’s decision on their requests is still pending.
If admitted to the case, the countries could make written submissions and speak at public hearings.
Preliminary hearings have already been held in the genocide case against Israel, but the court is expected to take years to reach a final decision.
Türkiye and Israel have experienced a volatile relationship since Erdoğan took power in 2003, marked by periods of severe friction and reconciliation. The war in Gaza disrupted the most recent attempts at normalizing ties.
