Video: Israeli delegation walks out of UN General Assembly during Erdogan’s Gaza criticism
Abdullateef Fowewe
Israel’s delegation to the United Nations walked out of the General Assembly hall on Tuesday during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s address to the 81st session, as the Turkish leader delivered criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Erdoğan, delivering his 16th speech to the world body, centered much of his remarks on the Palestinian issue.
He described Gaza as “the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our time” and “the world’s largest children’s cemetery,” claiming it also has the highest rate of child amputees.
He accused Israel of pursuing a “genocidal mindset” and “state terrorism,” stating that more than 74,000 people in Gaza most of them women and children had been killed over the past three years.
He further claimed that more than 1,500 Gazans had been killed even after a ceasefire reached with the involvement of U.S. President Donald Trump and contributions from Türkiye and other countries.
“This is not Tayyip Erdoğan’s personal matter. This is a humanitarian issue. It is a matter of conscience for all of us,” Erdoğan said.
He urged countries that have not recognised a Palestinian state to review their positions and called on the international community to increase pressure on Israel to end what he described as the occupation and bloodshed.
Erdoğan reiterated support for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a contiguous Palestinian state.
He also criticised the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the assembly for a second consecutive year and called for reform of the UN Security Council, arguing that “the world is bigger than five.”
The Israeli delegation departed the hall while Erdoğan was speaking about Gaza.
Türkiye under Erdoğan has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel among NATO members since the escalation of the Gaza conflict following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
Ankara has repeatedly described Israel’s military campaign as genocide, a charge Israel firmly denies and has called for international measures against it.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries have been strained for years, with periods of reduced relations and occasional high-profile protests at international forums, including previous walkouts during critical speeches.
The broader Gaza conflict remains a major flashpoint in 2026, with ongoing humanitarian concerns, debates over ceasefires and reconstruction, and competing narratives about casualty figures and responsibility.
Erdoğan has consistently used the UN platform to advocate for Palestinian statehood and highlight the issue, positioning Türkiye as a key voice in the Global South and Muslim world on the matter while also addressing other topics such as UN reform and regional conflicts.
