Residents of the area examine the rubble of the damaged targeted and surrounding buildings following an Israeli attack on Nuseirat, in Gaza City, Gaza on May 6, 2025. (AA Photo)
May 06, 2025 10:24 PM GMT+03:00
Türkiye on Tuesday urged Israel to halt its reckless actions that risk plunging the region into a wider conflict, following Tel Aviv’s newly approved plan to fully occupy Gaza.
In a statementthe Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel’s cross-border attacks on Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, warning that such actions endanger peace and stability across the Middle East.
“The latest decision by the Netanyahu government to expand its occupation in Gaza is a clear example of the same expansionist and destructive mindset,” the statement said.
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The ministry called on the international community to take a firm stand against what it described as Israel’s unrestrained aggression, underscoring the urgency of upholding regional and global peace.
“Türkiye remains committed to fostering peace and stability in the Middle East, working in solidarity with regional countries and the international community,” statement added.
This follows Israel’s Security Cabinet unanimously approved a new strategy Monday aimed at conquering Gaza and maintaining long-term military control over the enclave, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“Let it be clear: we will not enter Gaza and then pull out as we’ve done in the past,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on X. “What we’re planning is the exact opposite.”
The move followed the mobilization of thousands of reservists by the Israeli army and signaled a further escalation in the conflict that began in October 2023.
Members of Netanyahu’s government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Culture Minister Miki Zohar, and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, voiced their support for a permanent occupation.
Palestinians, holding pan including children, create a stampede to get hot meals, distributed by charitable organizations to displaced Palestinians amid Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis, Gaza on May 6, 2025. (AA Photo)
“We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip. We will stop being afraid of the word ‘occupation,’” Smotrich told Channel 13.
Dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” the plan envisions full Israeli military control over Gaza, the forced displacement of civilians, and the direct management of humanitarian aid — including distribution by international organizations and private security firms.
More than 52,600 Palestinians — most of them women and children — have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its offensive in October, according to local authorities.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Separately, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
May 06, 2025 10:32 PM GMT+03:00
