TURKEY'S PM BLAMES ISRAEL FOR VIOLATING GAZA CEASEFIRE

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Images: Times of Israel)

Balikesir, Turkey, 7 Shawwal 1435/3 August 2014 (MINA) – Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire by breaching law and agreements, Turkish Prime Minister and presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday.

“The world has barely started to be concerned about Gaza after 1,500 people were killed, hundreds of children lost their lives,” Erdogan said during an election rally in the northwestern city of Balikesir.

“There can be no peace, law and justice in a world where children are being killed on daily basis,” he said, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

On Friday, Israel declared the collapse of a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip only two hours after it went into effect, accusing Hamas operatives of killing two soldiers and capturing another.

Blaming Hamas for the collapse of the truce, U.S. President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the unconditional release of the Israeli soldier allegedly abducted by Palestinian factions.

“More than 1,500 people have been killed in Gaza. Now Israel is crying out for one of its soldiers,” Erdogan said. “You are talking about one of your soldiers but who will render an account of over 1,500 people killed and more than 7,000 wounded.”

The number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of the latest wave of Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip on July 7 has reached 1,660 on Saturday, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza.

“At least 50 Palestinians were killed and 100 others injured in the ongoing Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip on Saturday,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told Anadolu Agency.

More than 8,900 Palestinians have also been injured by Israeli assaults. (T/P09/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)