'Gaza butcher' Netanyahu Must Be Tried for War Crimes, Erdogan Says

ANKARA (IQNA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the "butcher of Gaza" and advocated for his trial as a "war criminal."

Erdogan made these remarks during the opening of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul on Monday.

He slammed the regime’s crimes in the Gaza Strip and emphasized that the issue of Israel possessing nuclear weapons should not be overlooked. He condemned those who remain silent about the deaths in Gaza, stating that they have no words left for humanity, Anadolu Agency reported.

The Turkish President said the Israeli regime was not only of a “murderer” but also a “thief,” asserting that Gaza should not be allowed to be occupied again.

Elsewhere, Erdogan highlighted the spread of Islamophobia in the West, characterizing it as an epidemic. He reaffirmed Gaza as Palestinian territory, insisting it will remain so forever, and warned against the expansionist ideals of Netanyahu.

"Those who invade Gaza will seek other places tomorrow. Gaza butcher Netanyahu revealed he has expansionist ideals," Erdogan said.

Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group conducted Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 15,523 Palestinians, mostly women and children, injured 41,316 others, and left vast swathes of Gaza in ruins.

It has also imposed a “complete siege” on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

Source: Agencies