President Erdoğan condemns Israel and pledges Turkish Red Crescent aid to Gaza

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) awards ceremony, praising the organisation’s historic humanitarian role and announcing that it has delivered more than 26,000 tonnes of aid, 15 million hot meals and daily assistance to over 30,000 people in Gaza. He condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing Israel as a "fitne production factory" whose actions threaten regional stability, and warned that Turkey will respond firmly to any aggression.

Erdoğan also outlined a broader regional security vision, linking Turkey’s safety to the stability of Syria, Lebanon and the broader Eastern Mediterranean. Israeli media reported panic over his remarks, interpreting the speech as a plan for a new Turkish‑led security arrangement that could limit Israel’s operational freedom in the region.