Turkey’s president calls Gaza war an ‘ecocide’ at UN climate summit; Israel: ‘Campaign of lies’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan uses an environmental gathering to again lambaste Israel over its war against Hamas in Gaza, saying the world should recognize the environmental impact of the war.

Erdogan makes the remarks at the UN climate summit, known as COP31, in Antalya, Turkey.

“What has taken place in Gaza is not only a genocide, but it is also an ecocide,” Erdogan says to world leaders and other climate envoys.

Israel vehemently denies the allegation of genocide.

“Centuries-old olive trees have been cut down. The soil and water have been polluted in Gaza, and cities in Gaza have been turned into enormous piles of rubble,” Erdogan says. “With Gaza’s destroyed infrastructure, compounded by torrential rain and by flooding, tens of thousands of tents and shelters have been inundated.”

Israel, which wasn’t invited to COP31, reacts furiously.

“Once again, Dictator Erdogan is using an international forum to push his anti-Israel campaign of lies,” the Foreign Ministry tweets.

“Hamas, whose leaders are hosted in Erdogan’s Türkiye, is responsible for the devastation in Gaza. Hamas started this war with the October 7th massacre and embedded its military infrastructure in civilian areas. Those who truly care about Gaza should demand that Hamas disarm so reconstruction can begin.”