Turkey’s Erdogan accuses Germany of ignoring Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticised Germany for what he described as its indifference to Israel’s “genocide” and attacks on Gaza, urging Berlin to take a stronger humanitarian stance.

Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a joint press conference in Ankara on Thursday, Erdogan accused Israel of using its advanced weaponry, including nuclear capabilities, to threaten Gaza, while noting that “Hamas was not as well equipped.”

“We need to end the genocide and the deliberate starvation by involving Germany’s Red Cross and our own Turkish Red Crescent,” Erdogan said. “Does Germany not see these?”

He called it the “humanitarian duty” of Turkey, Germany, and other nations to intervene to stop what he described as famine and massacres in the besieged enclave.

“Just as we want the Russia-Ukraine war to end, we also support an end to Israel’s war on Gaza,” Erdogan said. “Turkey and Germany are two key countries that can join hands to achieve this.”

The remarks came after Israel resumed bombardments of Gaza despite a fragile US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10. The renewed strikes followed the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah and left 104 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israel said it was conducting “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire,” while US President Donald Trump insisted the truce “is not in jeopardy.” Mediator Qatar, however, called Israel’s actions “disappointing and frustrating.”

As part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war, an international force is expected to monitor the ceasefire, though it remains unclear which countries will contribute troops. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel would reject any Turkish participation, citing Erdogan’s repeated denunciations of Israeli policy.

Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 68,527 people and wounded 170,395, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed and around 200 taken captive during the Hamas-led attacks that sparked the conflict.