Turkey deems Israel's call for Gazans to move south 'inhumane'

Turkey's Foreign Ministry has deemed Israel's call for Gazans to move south in 24 hours ahead of its planned ground offensive "inhumane," adding that it would be a breach of international law.

Friday October 13 2023 10:53 pm

This file photo shows Turkish Foreign Ministry's building entrance in the capital Ankara

Reuters

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 13 that Israel's call for Gazans to move south in 24 hours ahead of its planned ground offensive was inhumane and a violation of international law.

Israel called on Oct. 13 for all civilians in the northern half of the Gaza Strip, more than one million people, to relocate south within 24 hours, as it amassed tanks for an expected ground assault in response to an attack by the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

"Forcing the Gaza population of 2.5 million, who have been under indiscriminate bombing and deprived collectively of electricity, water and food, to relocate in an extremely small area is a blatant breach of international law and inhumane," the ministry said.

"We expect Israel to give up on this serious mistake and put an end to brutal and indiscriminate actions towards the civilian population in Gaza immediately," it said in a statement.

Press Release Regarding the Israeli Army’s Demand for Relocation of the Population in the North of Gaza https://t.co/7fwLkFuE0x pic.twitter.com/yJoJKsSe50
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) October 13, 2023

Turkey, which has historically had contacts with Hamas but is working to repair its ties with Israel after years of acrimony, has launched diplomacy seeking to mediate the conflict.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkish authorities were continuing contacts to secure the release of civilians held by Hamas as well as to find a solution to the crisis.

Speaking at an event in Istanbul, he also urged Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through Egypt's Rafah crossing.

Two A400M Turkish military aircraft with humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza have arrived in Egypt's Al Arish airport, Turkey's Defence Ministry said on Oct. 13.

Footage shared by the ministry showed boxes covered with the logo of Turkey's AFAD disaster management authority. The shipment included food and medical supplies.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Oct. 13 that humanitarian organisations would not be able to assist more than a million people in Gaza.