Erdogan Condemns Israel in UN Address, Israeli Delegation Walks Out

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, calling on governments to increase pressure on Israel and to recognize Palestinian statehood. The Israeli delegation left the assembly hall during Erdogan's address as he accused Israel of pursuing what he described as a genocidal mindset in Gaza, while Palestinian representatives applauded. Erdogan called Gaza "the most inhumane, most shameful concentration camp of our time," "the world's largest graveyard for children," and the place with the highest rate of child amputations in the world. Erdogan said a ceasefire had been reached through the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump and contributions from Türkiye and other countries, and he claimed that more than 1,500 Palestinians were killed after the ceasefire. One account of the speech put the figure at more than 1,300 civilians. The figures are Erdogan's own claims and have not been independently verified.