Erdogan condemns Gaza as 'inhuman concentration camp,' criticizes US visa policy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the situation in Gaza, describing it as 'the most inhuman and shameful concentration camp of our time' and 'the world’s largest graveyard for children.' He also criticized the US for rejecting a visa for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, which prevented him from attending the UN General Assembly.

Erdogan told the UN General Assembly that the injustice against Palestinians 'deeply offends the conscience of humanity.' He added that 'nobody with a conscience can close their eyes' to what is happening in Gaza, where people are still searching for loved ones under rubble. He also stated that the UN, established 81 years ago to maintain international peace and security, is no longer able to fulfill this mission and called for its reform.

Separately, Erdogan reiterated his condemnation of 'global gender-neutralisation policies,' which he stated target families and children and use LGBT advocacy as a 'battering ram' against the family institution. These remarks followed a week after Turkish authorities arrested 82 people pending trial and detained over 100 protesters in raids targeting LGBTQ+ groups under an operation named 'My Family is Safe.' The government stated the operation's aim is to safeguard children and family values. Erdogan highlighted that Turkey is among the few nations that openly challenge these ideologies on global platforms.