“Everyone who does not raise their voice against the barbarism in Gaza is complicit in this atrocity.”

President Erdoğan said in his speech at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations, “In Gaza, children’s hands, arms, and legs are being amputated without anesthesia. With all due respect, this is the lowest point of humanity. Human history has not witnessed such savagery in the last century. Everything is happening before our very eyes.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed participants at the United Nations (UN) 80th General Assembly meetings in New York City, USA.

President Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan walked together from Türkevi to the UN Headquarters. Emine Erdoğan listened to President Erdoğan’s speech at the UN’s 80th General Assembly in the hall.

President Erdoğan began his speech by wishing that the UN’s 80th General Assembly would be beneficial for all humanity, expressing his great pleasure at addressing this podium, which represents the common conscience of humanity, once again.

President Erdoğan congratulated Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, on completing his term as President of the General Assembly, and wished success to Annalena Baerbock, former German Foreign Minister, who took over this role.

“A GENOCIDE HAS BEEN GOING ON IN GAZA FOR OVER 700 DAYS RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES”

President Erdoğan said, “At the outset of my speech, at a time when Palestine is being recognized by an increasing number of countries, I would like to express my regret that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cannot be with us today. We are here today at this podium to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, whose voice is being silenced, together with our own citizens. I thank all countries that have announced their recognition of the State of Palestine and call on those that have not yet taken this decision to act without delay.”

Recalling that the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco 80 years ago and entered into force on October 24, 1945, President Erdoğan stated that he would like to reiterate the first words of the first article of the United Nations Charter here, and continued as follows: “‘The purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security.’ Yes, while we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations in this hall, grave events are unfolding in many parts of the world that cast a shadow over the first words of the first article of the Charter. In particular, genocide has been ongoing in Gaza before our very eyes for over 700 days. Even as we meet, civilians are being killed in Gaza right now. The number of civilians killed in Gaza has exceeded 65,000. It is not yet known how many bodies lie beneath the rubble. More than 20,000 of those killed are children. For the past 23 months, Israel has been ruthlessly taking the life of one child every hour in Gaza. These are not just numbers, friends; they are all lives, innocent human beings. Right now, people are being killed not only with weapons but also with the weapon of starvation. In the 21st century, under the gaze of the civilized world, 428 people, 146 of them children, have died of starvation, and the number is increasing every day.

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN SHOWS PHOTOS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN GAZA

President Erdoğan then showed a photo depicting daily life in Gaza, saying, “Women carrying basins. Let us all put our hands on our hearts and answer. Could there be a reasonable justification for such cruelty in 2025? However, in the name of humanity, this shameful scene has been repeating itself every day in Gaza for 23 months. 2.5 million Gazans living in 365 square kilometers are displaced every day, forced to migrate to another area every day.”

President Erdoğan stated that Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has completely collapsed, doctors have been killed or detained, ambulances have been shot at, hospitals have been bombed and destroyed, and that treatment, surgery, and finding medicine are impossible.

President Erdoğan said, “Look, as Tayyip Erdoğan, I say this with a heavy heart, with tears in my eyes. Innocent children, only 2-3 years old, without hands, arms, or legs, have unfortunately become a common sight in Gaza today,” he said.

“THE UNITED NATIONS HAS UNFORTUNATELY FAILED TO PROTECT EVEN ITS OWN STAFF IN GAZA”

Then, showing a photo of a child on the verge of starvation, President Erdoğan said, “What conscience can bear this, what conscience can remain silent about this? Can there be peace in a world where children die of hunger and lack of medicine?”

President Erdoğan, who stated that everyone is a parent and has children and grandchildren they cherish, continued his remarks as follows: “Here, in America, in Europe, everywhere in the world, if a small thorn pricks a child’s hand, parents’ hearts burn with pain, but in Gaza, children’s hands, arms, and legs are amputated without anesthesia. No offense to anyone, but this is the lowest point of humanity. Humanity has not seen such savagery in the last century. Everything is happening before our very eyes. The genocide in Gaza is being broadcast live at every moment through the media and social media. Israel has deliberately killed 250 journalists working for national and international media in Gaza so far and has banned all entry into Gaza. But it still cannot hide the genocide. I wholeheartedly support Secretary-General Guterres, who has repeatedly drawn attention to the ongoing genocide in Palestinian territories, and I congratulate him once again for his courage. However, the United Nations has unfortunately failed to protect even its own staff in Gaza. Five hundred people rushing to help people in Gaza have been killed. Of these, 326 are UN personnel.”

President Erdoğan said that genocide, like the Holocaust, is a shameful, inhuman, barbaric concept used for the mass extermination of people.

“ISRAEL IS ALSO THREATENING REGIONAL PEACE”

Drawing attention to the fact that it is not only people who are being killed in Gaza today, President Erdoğan continued: “Animals are being targeted and killed in Gaza. Agricultural fields, gardens, trees, grass, centuries-old olive trees, and water sources are being destroyed and polluted. Buildings, homes, libraries, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, and historical structures in Gaza are being deliberately destroyed. Gaza’s soil is being rendered useless for humans, animals, and plants. Here is another photo for you. Now I ask you, what does this photo in my hand have to do with the search for security? Isn’t this called hostility towards living beings, hostility towards life? I am stating this clearly from this podium. I am stating from this podium that there is no war in Gaza. There cannot be two sides in Gaza. In Gaza, on one side there is a regular army with the most modern, most lethal weapons, and on the other side there are innocent civilians, innocent children. This is not a fight against terrorism. This is an occupation, a deportation, an exile, a genocide, or rather a policy of mass slaughter, carried out under the pretext of the events of October 7.

President Erdoğan stated that while Gaza is being destroyed today under the pretext of Hamas, the West Bank, which is not under Hamas control, is also being gradually occupied, and innocent civilians are being massacred.

“Israel is not limited to Gaza and the West Bank; it is threatening regional peace by launching attacks on Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon,” said President Erdoğan, reminding the delegation that recently held ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, the mediator, that Israel had carried out attacks.

“A CEASEFIRE MUST BE ESTABLISHED IN GAZA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

President Erdoğan said: “The attack on Qatar has shown that the Israeli administration has completely lost control. It has become clear once again that Netanyahu has no intention of making peace or rescuing the hostages. Not only its neighbors, but all countries in the Middle East are facing reckless threats from the Israeli government. Let us also realize that due to Israel’s increasing aggression, the values that emerged after World War II, particularly in Europe and the West, have been severely damaged. Fundamental human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and protest, women’s rights, children’s rights, democracy, equality, and justice have been shelved. At this point, we must all see this reality. Driven by an obsession with the Promised Land, the Israeli administration is undermining regional peace and humanity’s common achievements with an expansionist policy. Jerusalem, the holy city of the three monotheistic religions and the common heritage of humanity, is the direct target of this radicalism. This state of insanity, which disturbs conscientious Jews, whom they also disapprove of, and moreover fuels anti-Semitism throughout the world, cannot continue any longer. A ceasefire must be established in Gaza immediately, attacks must stop, and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be guaranteed. The perpetrators of genocide must be held accountable under international law. God willing, this will surely happen.”

“TODAY IS THE DAY TO STAND FIRM WITH THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF PALESTINE IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY”

President Erdoğan stated that everyone who does not raise their voice against the barbarism in Gaza and does not take a stand is complicit in this atrocity.

President Erdoğan said: “I call on all world leaders: today is the day. Today is the day to stand tall for humanity alongside the oppressed Palestinians. As your people react to the barbarism in Gaza, come and show your courage step by step. Fulfill your duty to humanity towards Gaza, where children are raising children. On this occasion, I send my warmest regards to all defenders of Palestine—academics, artists, politicians, activists, and students—who have filled the squares in different countries around the world to stand up for the oppressed people of Gaza and who have set sail to support the innocent people of Gaza.”

“WE WILL SUPPORT THE VISION OF A UNITED AND INTACT SYRIA WITH ALL OUR RESOURCES”

Recalling that he had raised the issue of the oppression and conflicts in Syria at the UN podium for 13 years, President Erdoğan said, “Just as we are raising our voices today for the oppressed people of Gaza, we drew attention to the cries of the Syrians for 13 years. We were their voice and their breath here. The oppression that caused the deaths of 1 million people and the displacement of millions more has, thank God, now become history with the December 8 revolution.”

President Erdoğan stated that Syrians had opened the doors to a new era as of December 8, 2024, and continued: “The Syrian people, who have won the fight against a bloody regime, will, I believe, achieve their goal with the victory they have earned at great cost. We will support with all our resources the vision of a united Syria where security is established and there is no terrorism of any kind, especially ISIS. As stability takes root in Syria, there is no doubt that the winners will be the Syrians themselves, along with all neighboring countries and our entire region. I would also like to express my gratitude to our brotherly countries in the Gulf for their contributions to Syria’s recovery. We will, God willing, continue our cooperation with all regional and international actors who share the same principles as us. We hope that the nuclear issue with our neighbor Iran will be resolved through diplomacy as soon as possible. It should not be forgotten that our region cannot withstand another crisis. The stability, security, and prosperity of our neighbor Iraq is of paramount importance for the well-being of our region. We attach great importance to strategic moves that prioritize collective prosperity, such as the Development Road Project. We are eagerly hosting the Istanbul Process between Russia and Ukraine, both of which are our neighbors to the north. Through direct talks, we have facilitated the exchange of many prisoners and remains.

We have worked to determine the modalities of peace negotiations between the parties. Remember, “There are no winners in war, only losers in a just peace.” We will continue to strive for a ceasefire in the coming period with this motto in mind."

“WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE BETWEEN SOMALIA AND ETHIOPIA”

Stating that they have encouraged the parties from the outset to establish peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, President Erdoğan said, “We are pleased that steps towards lasting peace between the two countries were taken on August 8. I would like to congratulate once again Mr. Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, and Mr. Trump, President of the United States, who contributed to the process.”

On this occasion, President Erdoğan also stated that the Turkey-Armenia normalization process is progressing on track, adding, “Within the scope of our other mediation activity, the Ankara Process, we are continuing our efforts to resolve the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia. I hope that the parties will bring this initiative to a swift and successful conclusion.”

“CYPRUS TURKS ARE EQUAL OWNERS OF THE ISLAND AND WILL NOT ACCEPT BEING A MINORITY”

Emphasizing that Turkey has been strictly implementing the Montreux Convention, which guarantees security in the Black Sea, for exactly 89 years, President Erdoğan stated: “We want to see the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean as a basin of stability and prosperity where the legitimate interests of all parties concerned are respected. We are ready for constructive cooperation on every issue, particularly energy and the environment. We expect the same from our neighbors. On this occasion, I would like to emphasize here that projects in the Eastern Mediterranean that exclude Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will not succeed. Turkey has rights and authorities in the western part of the island of Cyprus, while the Turkish Cypriots have legitimate rights in the areas surrounding the island. The Eastern Mediterranean Conference, which we have proposed before, will contribute to finding common ground. The solution to the Cyprus issue cannot be based on the federation model, which has been tried many times before but has been exhausted due to the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriot side. There are two separate states and two separate peoples on the island of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots are equal owners of the island and will not accept being a minority. The international community must now put an end to the unjust isolation to which the Turkish Cypriots have been subjected for half a century.

I reiterate today the call I made at the last three United Nations General Assemblies, inviting the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and establish diplomatic, political, and economic relations with it.

“IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION IS AS EAGER AND DETERMINED AS WE ARE”

Stating that they desire a new beginning and vision in Turkey-European Union relations in the coming period, President Erdoğan said, “This vision should not be one that merely saves the day, but one that redefines the horizon and shapes our common future. To this end, it is of course important that the European Union is as eager and determined as we are,” he said. Ise

Reiterating that Turkey, as a net security provider, will continue to contribute to the operations and missions of the United Nations, NATO, OSCE, and the European Union, President Erdoğan said, “We will host the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara. We are strengthening our NATO alliance with the United States in many areas, primarily trade, investment, energy, and the defense industry,” he said.

“WE CONSIDER THE MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN SOUTH ASIA TO BE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE”

Emphasizing that peace, stability, and prosperity in the brotherly countries of Central Asia, the homeland of our ancestors, are indispensable for Turkey, President Erdoğan continued: “Our Organization of Turkic States is moving beyond being a regional umbrella organization and becoming a global actor. We are working hard to maintain peace and stability in the Balkans, where we have deep-rooted human ties. The Balkan Peace Platform we established in July is the latest example of our efforts in this direction. We will once again assume the KFOR Command this October. It is our fundamental desire that the Afghan administration demonstrate an inclusive approach to society. It is imperative that the international community does not abandon the Afghan people during their recovery process. As Turkey and the Turkish nation, we will continue to stand by our Afghan brothers and sisters. We consider the preservation of peace and stability in South Asia to be of utmost importance. We welcome the ceasefire reached in April amid tensions between Pakistan and India that had escalated into conflict. We attach importance to cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism. We support the resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue, based on the decisions of the United Nations Security Council and centered on the expectations of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

Our relations with the African continent are growing stronger year by year across a wide range of areas, from education to health, infrastructure to trade. While providing all necessary support to Somalia in its fight against terrorism, we are also continuing our humanitarian aid activities. The conflict environment that has persisted in Sudan for over two years is deeply troubling to us. Stopping the bloodshed in Sudan and establishing sustainable peace is the shared responsibility of the international community. Our efforts in this direction will continue.

“WE PLACE GREAT IMPORTANCE ON DEVELOPING OUR RELATIONS WITH THE LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGION”

President Erdoğan stated that the Great Lakes Region in Africa has been suffering from years of instability and conflict, saying: “We hope that the conflicts in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo will be resolved. We sincerely support the efforts being made with the mediation of the United States and the facilitation of Qatar. We are also following with concern the increasing terrorist activities in West Africa, particularly in the coastal basin. Our efforts will continue for the people of this region, with whom we have historical ties, to achieve peace and stability.”

President Erdoğan, who emphasizes that relations with Asian countries are of great strategic importance in Turkish foreign policy, which draws its inspiration from the double-headed Seljuk eagle and is conducted with a 360-degree approach, said, “Within the framework of our Return to Asia Initiative, our engagement with regional organizations, particularly ASEAN, is deepening. We attach great importance to developing our relations with Latin America and the Caribbean region in a spirit of partnership and a ‘win-win’ approach. Our determination to take the friendly ties we have established with all countries in the region to the next level remains steadfast.”

“WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD TRADE”

President Erdoğan stated that increasing protectionism in international trade and disruptions in supply chains have led to fundamental changes in the global economy, saying: “We support the reform of rules-based international trade, including the World Trade Organization, in order to successfully combat the current challenges. I consider access to affordable, secure, and sustainable energy to be indispensable for the development goals of developing countries in particular. We are advancing the strategically important East-West Central Corridor Project, which stretches from China to Europe. With our modern transportation infrastructure and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Line, we are contributing to the development of world trade.”

President Erdoğan emphasized that they are resolutely advancing toward the 2053 Net Zero Emissions target on their journey toward building a future respectful of nature. “It is a special joy for us to see that the Zero Waste Movement, under the patronage of my wife Emine Erdoğan, has become a wave of awareness that grows year after year around the world, reaching more people and hearts. In this process, it is no longer a choice but an obligation for developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities.”

“HUMANITY IS WITNESSING AN EXTRAORDINARY LEAP IN THE FIELD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE”

President Erdoğan stated that Turkey, as one of the countries providing the most development aid in the world, is striving to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, noting the following: “To achieve the 2030 Goals and enable hundreds of millions of people around the world to live with dignity, we advocate for the global financial architecture to be aligned with the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that, while we are dealing with geopolitical challenges, humanity is witnessing an extraordinary leap in the field of artificial intelligence. No society should be deprived of the transformative power and benefits offered by these groundbreaking technologies. Artificial intelligence technologies should be used for the benefit of humanity, not as a new tool of domination. The United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, which we host, plays a critical role in closing the digital and technological divide. We believe that the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Digital World, which we have prepared and will soon open for signature with universal consensus, will create global awareness in this area, and we look forward to your strong support for our efforts. On the other hand, in today’s world, where racism, xenophobia, and especially Islamophobia have reached alarming levels, combating these trends that threaten the culture of coexistence has become a necessity for humanity. It is significant that Mr. Moratinos, High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, has also been appointed as the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia.

President Erdoğan said, "As I stated here last year, the institution of the family is under threat today as never before. Defending the family, consisting of a woman and a man, means defending humanity, nature, life, and the future. As Turkey, we will continue to defend the family in the face of increasing attacks."

“TAKING STEPS TO RETURN THE UN TO ITS FOUNDING SPIRIT IS OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY”

“The roots of the United Nations, established to prevent humanity from ever again experiencing the catastrophe of war, are imbued with values that will illuminate the dark times we are living in,” said President Erdoğan, continuing: “We fully support Secretary-General Guterres’ United Nations 80 Initiative, launched with the aim of making our Organization effective and efficient. I hope this initiative will succeed as a process that will further strengthen all activities of the United Nations. We are ready to provide strong support to this process, also based on our vision of making Istanbul a United Nations center. It is our shared responsibility to take steps to return the United Nations to its founding spirit in its 80th year. We will continue to say ‘The world is bigger than five’ until an order is established where the righteous are strong, not the strong are righteous. Our task is not to abandon the system, but to repair it and make it functional again. Without a doubt, a more just world is possible. Turkey will patiently continue its struggle for the construction of a more just world.