Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he asked US President Donald Trump to intervene to stop deadly shootings near Gaza aid distribution centers, where more than 500 people have reportedly been killed.
Erdoğan said he made the request during their meeting at the NATO summit in late June.
“I told him, ‘You are the one who can best manage this process with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.’ People are being killed in food lines. You need to intervene so this doesn’t continue,’” Erdoğan said, according to comments published Saturday by the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza in early March, triggering a worsening humanitarian crisis. On May 26 a group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — backed by the US and Israel — began delivering supplies. But operations have been disrupted by near-daily shootings, with the Israeli military claiming it is targeting Hamas militants near the sites.
The UN Human Rights Office said Friday that more than 500 people had been killed in the vicinity of GHF aid centers. Israel’s army blames Hamas for the violence. GHF chairman Johnnie Moore this week denied any deaths occurred at or near the group’s four distribution points.
Erdoğan said the ceasefire that ended the 12-day war between Iran and Israel had created a new opportunity to stop the fighting in Gaza. He described Hamas as showing “good will” in recent talks, referring to meetings between senior Hamas officials and Turkish intelligence and foreign ministry leaders.
He added that US pressure on Israel would be “decisive” in securing a proposed 60-day truce and emphasized the need for clear guarantees.
“If a permanent ceasefire can be reached, rapid international investment in reconstruction will be crucial — and it could open the path to lasting peace in the region,” he said.
© Agence France-Presse