Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the war in Gaza not only as genocide but also as “ecocide” during the COP31 summit in Antalya. He called on the international community to pay attention to the destruction of the natural environment and infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave.
“What happened in Gaza is not only genocide but also ecocide,” Erdogan said.According to him, centuries-old olive trees have been cut down, while the soil and water have been polluted. The Turkish president also said that Gaza’s cities had been turned into “huge piles of rubble.”
Erdogan also linked the destruction to the severe consequences of heavy rains and flooding. According to him, tens of thousands of tents and temporary shelters were flooded because of the destroyed infrastructure. He called on Israel to immediately allow humanitarian aid in and lift restrictions on access to the enclave.
Displaced People Left Without Shelter
In his statement, the Turkish president said that hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians do not have adequate shelter. Earlier in the week, heavy rains and flooding had left many people without food, drinking water or a dry place to sleep.
At least four people were killed when a sand embankment collapsed onto a shelter, the Associated Press reported. The incident occurred amid deteriorating conditions for people living in temporary camps.
Israel Rejected the Accusations
Israel’s Foreign Ministry described Erdogan’s remarks as part of an “anti-Israel campaign of lies.” The statement said that “Hamas,” whose leaders are sheltered in Turkey, bears responsibility for the destruction in Gaza. The Israeli ministry also said that the war began with “Hamas”’s attack on October 7 and accused the group of deploying its military infrastructure in civilian areas.
Israel was not invited to COP31. The country categorically rejects the accusations of genocide. An independent expert panel backed by the UN concluded in 2025 that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, but the Israeli government rejected the conclusion and accused the panel of antisemitism.
Sources: apnews.com, timesofisrael.com, turkiyetoday.com