Speaking at a ceremony in Istanbul, Erdoğan painted a grim portrait of Gaza’s devastation, noting that more than 16,500 students, 830 teachers, and hundreds of educational workers have been killed since the start of the conflict.
He added that 193 scientists and academics, alongside over 270 journalists, have also lost their lives, a figure he called a tragic blow to the intellectual backbone of Palestinian society.
Erdoğan said 785,000 students in Gaza have now been stripped of their right to learn, as schools lie in ruins and families remain displaced. Israel has not only uprooted homes, he remarked, but has also choked off access to food, leaving the people of Gaza in a state of constant deprivation.
Accusing Israel of hiding behind excuses to breach the ceasefire, Erdoğan insisted that Hamas has refrained from responding militarily, choosing instead to hold the agreement in place. He emphasized that Turkey is working around the clock to help maintain the ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian aid, and push for what he called a durable peace.
He reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to a two state solution, saying Ankara would continue to support the establishment of a free and sovereign Palestinian state, without hesitation or retreat.
Meanwhile, Arab media outlets report that Israeli forces have intensified operations in several areas, despite the nominal ceasefire.
According to regional sources, Israeli jets carried out fresh strikes on Rafah, while troops in Khan Younis demolished residential homes. In the occupied West Bank, arrests of Palestinians have reportedly continued at a steady pace.
The media reports estimate that since October 2023, the death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza has surpassed 70,000, a number humanitarian organizations describe as staggering in scale.
