ANKARA 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday underlined Türkiye’s strenuous efforts to draw attention worldwide to Israel’s wrongdoing in over four months of the Gaza conflict.

"We are making intensive efforts to ensure that Israel's human rights abuses and war crimes are not overlooked on the international stage," Erdogan said, addressing the 5th General Assembly of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum via video message in Istanbul

Underscoring the importance of collective diplomatic action among Islamic countries in response to Israel's oppression in Gaza, Erdogan mentioned ongoing diplomatic efforts to encourage joint responses and solidarity.

Additionally, he reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to supporting the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state recognized worldwide.

"We will continue our struggle until an independent, territorially integral Palestinian state is founded based on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital," he said.

Erdogan emphasized the crucial importance of unity among young Muslim people, pointing to the ongoing "massacres" in the Gaza Strip and occupied Palestinian territories since Oct. 7.

"Israeli occupying forces mercilessly martyred over 28,000 Palestinians, including many children and women, in full view of the world," he said.

Erdogan underscored that places of worship, schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure have also been targeted in Israel's "Nazi-like attacks."

In response to the onslaught, Erdogan affirmed Ankara's full solidarity with the Palestinians, undertaking initiatives ranging from delivering humanitarian aid to facilitating cancer patients' treatment in Türkiye.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, killing at least 27,947 Palestinians and injuring 67,459 others, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

An interim ruling last month by the International Court of Justice told Israel to cease its abuses, but most international observers say it has been flouting the ruling.