Türkiye's Vice President, Cevdet Yilmaz, condemned Israel's recent ground attack on Rafah as a new war crime committed on Palestinian lands. The attack came just after Hamas had approved a cease-fire proposal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, adding to Israel's record of alleged atrocities in Palestinian territories since October 7.
Yilmaz criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates for these actions, asserting that they would eventually be held accountable for committing crimes against humanity. He also called out those who remained silent in the face of such violations.
Emphasizing Türkiye's determination to ensure accountability for Israeli actions, Yilmaz declared that under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership, Türkiye would persist in its efforts to hold the Israeli government responsible for its disregard of international law.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli army announced its seizure of control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. This move followed the decision by Israel's War Cabinet to proceed with an operation in Rafah, despite Hamas' acceptance of the cease-fire proposal.
Rafah, home to over 1.5 million displaced Palestinians, has been heavily impacted by the ongoing Israeli offensive, which has caused widespread devastation and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The conflict, which began with an operation by Hamas in October, has resulted in numerous casualties among Palestinians and significant destruction of infrastructure.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, with an interim ruling in January suggesting that Israel may be committing genocide in Gaza. The court ordered Tel Aviv to halt such actions and ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the region. (ILKHA)