Focus

Turkey calls Israel's evacuation deadline 'unacceptable'

13 Oct 2023 11:42pm
Turkish President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a sign showing the evolution of lands of Israel and Palestine on maps at his party's group meeting in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on Oct 11. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP)
Turkish President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a sign showing the evolution of lands of Israel and Palestine on maps at his party's group meeting in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on Oct 11. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP)
A
A
A

ISTANBUL - Turkey's foreign ministry on Friday condemned as "unacceptable" Israel's ultimatum to Palestinians to evacuate Gaza ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

Hundreds of Gazans fled towards the south of the Gaza Strip on Friday after the Israeli military dropped flyers warning residents to flee "immediately".

"The announcement by the Israeli government calling on the Palestinian people living in the North of Gaza to move towards the south of Gaza within 24 hours is unacceptable," the ministry said in a statement.

A ground offensive is expected by Israel in the Palestinian territory controlled by Hamas in retaliation for Saturday's bloody attack launched by the Palestinian Islamist group.

"Forcing the 2.5 million residents of Gaza, who have been subject to indiscriminate air strikes for days and deprived of electricity, water and food, to migrate in an extremely limited area is a flagrant violation of international law and is inhumane," the ministry said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that "cutting water, electricity and food to two million people stuck in 360 square kilometre (140 square miles) is against the most fundamental human rights". - AFP

turkey
israel
palestine
hamas
deadline
evacuation
gaza
More Like This
People look out from inside a sweathouse sauna at Baginbun beach, near Wexford, on the south-east coast of Ireland on April 1, 2024. - Photo by AFP
People look out from inside a sweathouse sauna at Baginbun beach, near Wexford, on the south-east coast of Ireland on April 1, 2024. - Photo by AFP
World A 'healthy addiction': Sea saunas make waves in Ireland
Aside from their health benefits, the cosy boltholes are ideal havens in Ireland's wild and often wet and chilly weather.
A doctor stands near bodies lined up for identification after they were unearthed from a mass grave found in the Nasser Medical Complex Photo by AFP
A doctor stands near bodies lined up for identification after they were unearthed from a mass grave found in the Nasser Medical Complex Photo by AFP
World Bodies uncovered in Gaza mass graves raise suspicions of organ theft
165 remain unidentified after their bodies were disfigured
Students and onlookers watch a rally in support of Israel outside the gates of Columbia University from a nearby bridge on April 25, 2024 in New York City. Israel supporters are reacting to the growing number of college campuses throughout the country whose student protesters are setting up pro-Palestinian tent encampments on school grounds. - Photo by AFP
Students and onlookers watch a rally in support of Israel outside the gates of Columbia University from a nearby bridge on April 25, 2024 in New York City. Israel supporters are reacting to the growing number of college campuses throughout the country whose student protesters are setting up pro-Palestinian tent encampments on school grounds. - Photo by AFP
World Columbia University drops deadline for dismantling pro-Palestinian protest camp
Police have carried out large-scale arrests in universities across the country, at times using chemical irritants and tasers to disperse protests.
Rumy Al-Qahtani, Miss Saudi Arabia, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP at her home in Riyadh on April 19, 2024. Qahtani is set to be the first ever participant representing Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition in 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Rumy Al-Qahtani, Miss Saudi Arabia, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP at her home in Riyadh on April 19, 2024. Qahtani is set to be the first ever participant representing Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition in 2024. (Photo by AFP)
World Saudi could get first Miss Universe contestant this year
Saudi model Rumy al-Qahtani created a buzz online in late March when she posted to her hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers that she was "honoured" to represent Saudi Arabia at Miss Universe at the upcoming event.