President Erdoğan s call on Gaza I invite the international community to unite on the front of humanity
President Erdoğan's call on Gaza: I invite the international community to unite on the front of humanity
President Erdoğan said, “(Gaza) In these dark days when mass deaths from hunger have begun, I invite the entire international community to unite on the front of humanity.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the opening of IDEF 2025 held at the Istanbul Expo Center, said he was very pleased and excited to be there.
Erdoğan welcomed the guests who attended the fair from Turkey and various countries around the world to “Istanbul, the city where culture, civilization, and technology meet,” and expressed his hope that the meetings, agreements, and partnerships they will establish during this event would be beneficial for the countries, companies, and sectors involved.
He congratulated the Ministry of National Defense, the Presidency of Defense Industries, and the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation for successfully organizing IDEF, which has become a global brand.
Erdoğan thanked the companies participating in the fair with high-tech defense products, stating:
“This year, we are organizing the 17th edition of the International Defense Industry Fair, which is among the world’s top three fairs in its field in terms of size and influence. Today, we are not only witnessing the development of the Turkish defense industry but also the story of a nation's march toward independence—of a country rising under its own sky, with its own wings.”
President Erdoğan said he took great pride and honor in the growing interest shown in the fair each year.
"More than 120,000 professional visitors are expected to attend the fair"
“In this year’s organization, we are honored to host 937 delegation members representing 219 delegations from 99 countries and international organizations,” Erdoğan said, and continued:
“Nearly 1,000 domestic and over 400 foreign companies will have the opportunity to showcase their products developed in the fields of land, air, sea, space, and cybersecurity over the course of six days. More than 120,000 professional visitors are expected to attend the fair until Sunday.
I would especially like you to know that we do not consider this valuable gathering solely a commercial activity or a marketplace for the international promotion and sale of defense industry products.
As I always say, the issue is not just about buying and selling. The real issue is establishing long-term partnerships based on a win-win approach. It is about developing lasting cooperation alongside trade. As Turkey, we are ready for this and open to multidimensional collaborations.
I wish success to all the companies participating in IDEF 2025 with their products and equipment and express my gratitude to each of our guest delegations.”
Erdoğan expressed his hope that IDEF 2025, particularly in the field of defense, would contribute significantly to relations between sectors and companies, open the door to new collaborations, and strengthen friendship and brotherhood.
Stating that he wanted to underline a particular point, Erdoğan said,
“We are going through a period in which the balance of power is being redefined, global centers of gravity are shifting, and international competition is increasingly intensifying.”
President Erdoğan said that every day they wake up to a new crisis and no one knows or can predict what will happen tomorrow.
He stated that the rules-based international system established after the Second World War has been replaced by a new order where “might makes right,” adding:
“We are rapidly becoming accustomed to a mindset where the strong are considered right, rather than the righteous being strong. International mechanisms where the righteous can seek their rights are failing to fulfill their expected roles.”
Pointing out that Turkey is one of the countries most affected by this new status quo due to its geographical location and historical, human, and cultural ties, Erdoğan said:
“The genocide in Gaza that has been intensifying for 22 months, Israel’s attacks aimed at destabilizing our region, the war between Russia and Ukraine now in its 3.5th year, and the recurring tensions in a wide area from South Asia to North Africa, from the Balkans to the South Caucasus—all these concern us in one way or another and require us to take measures and become involved.
When we say we are surrounded by a ring of fire, we are not saying it for rhetoric’s sake. On the contrary, we are describing a reality we live through every day.”
“The hot conflicts that threaten the security of the Black Sea are likewise a major source of concern for us”
“I want to say this clearly and openly,” Erdoğan continued: “In Gaza, where children are left skin and bones from hunger due to the denial of humanitarian aid, their suffering is our suffering. The attacks targeting Syria, where hope has been rekindled after the December 8 Revolution following 13.5 years of oppression, are our concern. The hot conflicts threatening the security of the Black Sea are likewise a major source of concern for us. From Libya to Sudan, from Pakistan to Afghanistan—wherever there is trouble, conflict, or instability, all are sensitive issues that must be carefully followed by our country.
Turkish foreign policy is based on the principles of peace, justice, international law, respect for sovereignty, fairness, and solidarity. We are not pursuing population or domination. We absolutely have no intention of interfering in anyone's internal affairs. With all our hearts, we desire peace, solidarity, and stability in our region. Of course, while wishing for this, we do not hesitate to fulfill its requirements. Wherever we see injustice, unfairness, and oppression, we voice our stance and reaction clearly, within a certain decorum.
With this understanding, we continue to keep Israel’s genocide against the people of Gaza—far surpassing even the Nazis—in the focus of all humanity.”
Pointing to the increased diplomatic efforts alongside humanitarian aid to stop the atrocities in Gaza, Erdoğan said: “Our goal is to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible. Another priority is allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a truly horrific situation where even the Red Cross is not permitted entry. As I have said before, Netanyahu and his network of massacres have long surpassed Hitler in their barbarism.”
President Erdoğan stated that even during the Holocaust in Europe, there were not scenes as inhumane as those witnessed in Gaza.
Erdoğan said:
“No one with even a shred of human dignity can accept, let alone remain silent about, a brutality where dozens of innocent people die every day because they can’t find a bite of bread or a sip of water. This state of madness cannot be condoned. Anyone who remains silent in the face of the genocide in Gaza becomes complicit in Israel's crimes against humanity. While humanity dies in Gaza—while babies and children die, while people are killed trying to obtain a sack of flour—none of us can remain silent. And we will not.”
“Let us say ‘Enough is enough’ to this cruelty and this savagery”
“We will never forget, and none of us can forget, the severed heads of innocent babies, the torn limbs of children, the unburied corpses that dogs have begun to eat out of hunger, that hunger, those cries, the heart-wrenching screams of mothers,” said Erdoğan, and added:
“In these dark days where mass deaths from hunger have begun, I invite the entire international community to unite on the front of humanity. Let us all together respond to this brutality. Let us all say ‘Enough is enough’ to this cruelty and this savagery. Let us not allow a handful of humanity’s enemies, whose eyes are blinded by the lust for power, to stain the name of humanity any further.
Otherwise, this bloodstain will not only be on the hands of Netanyahu and his network of murderers but also on the hands, the foreheads, and—if any remain—the consciences of those who remain silent about the genocide in Gaza. As Turkey, we have, from the very beginning, strived at every platform with our friends for a just and sustainable global order. While taking every necessary step to ensure global peace and security, we are mobilizing all our means to prevent further tragedies.”
“We have taken the following principle as our guide in this process: ‘A peace worth a thousand coins is better than a conflict worth one.’ Everything we do in the name of peace diplomacy is under the light of this wise saying. And we never forget our other principle: ‘If you desire peace, be prepared for war.’ In other words, if you want peace, security, order, and prosperity, you must maintain the highest level of deterrence. If you want to live in your homeland with honor, dignity, and your head held high, you are obliged to strengthen your defense capabilities. Without a doubt, the path to this lies through a domestic and national defense industry.”
“Our friends and allies have made Turkey a defense industry power”
President Erdoğan noted that Turkey has faced serious challenges in the field of defense throughout its recent history.
He emphasized that they have experienced the consequences of dependence on foreign countries many times, saying:“In the Cyprus incidents of the 1960s and in the fight against terrorism during the 1990s, we unfortunately could not receive sufficient support from these so-called friendly and allied countries. After the 1974 Peace Operation, which we launched to protect the rights and laws of the Turkish Cypriots, embargoes peaked. Aircraft we sent for maintenance were confiscated, and our country was even charged storage fees for planes kept in hangars. Even the most basic communication devices such as radios were not supplied to us for a time.
During tensions with the Assad regime, we again witnessed the same disloyalty to agreements. In our efforts to strengthen our air defense capacity, we faced closed doors everywhere. So much so that during the days when our airspace was being constantly violated, air defense systems were removed from our country as if smuggling goods from a fire.”
Erdoğan stated that similar practices continued in many places, from Libya to the ending of the occupation in Karabakh, and recalled the saying of their ancestors, “A bad neighbor makes one own property,” noting that Turkey’s so-called friends and allies inadvertently made it a defense industry power.
“Turkey has reached a position of stamping its mark on global markets with its defense industry products”
President Erdoğan said that every embargo, every pressure, and every injustice opened a new door and added: “We used all our strength to walk through those doors. Turkey, which once suffered from embargoes, double standards, and diplomatic pressure, has today reached a position where it stamps its mark on the global markets with its defense industry products. We said, ‘We will cut our own umbilical cord,’ and by mobilizing our own resources, we have made significant progress in this field in a short time.
On this foundation, while pursuing a humanitarian and proactive foreign policy, we have also accelerated our investments in defense and security.”
President Erdoğan: “We have propelled the Turkish defense industry into a new era, from design to mass production, from R&D to innovation.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that they had overcome what was once a major challenge—foreign dependency—in the defense sector.
He continued:
“When we first took office, the domestic production rate in our defense industry was around 20 percent. Today, that rate has exceeded 80 percent. Our sector, with over 3,500 companies and a qualified workforce of 100,000 personnel, continues its work with great success.
The Turkish defense industry is writing a success story with over 1,380 projects, an annual turnover exceeding $20 billion, and a wide range of products.
We are now able to meet nearly all the needs of our security forces with our own resources in the most efficient way. Our domestic products play an active role in counterterrorism operations both inside and outside the country.
Turkey is now one of the top three countries in the world in UAV and UCAV (unmanned combat aerial vehicle) technology. Last year, Turkish firms provided 65 of every 100 UAVs sold globally.
The game-changing concept of our UCAVs is making a global impact, transforming traditional tactics and strategies.
Likewise, Turkey is now one of only ten countries in the world capable of designing, developing, and producing its own warships.
Our main contractors, subcontractors, SMEs, research institutions, and universities are contributing to our export success with original products that continue to shine globally.”
“Turkey is now the 11th largest defense exporter in the world”
President Erdoğan noted that Turkey has become the world’s 11th largest defense exporter. He added that Turkey’s unmanned aerial vehicles, national warship projects, electronic systems, land vehicles, weapons, and ammunition are being followed and demanded with admiration.
He stated:
“Last year, our defense industry companies exported products to 180 countries—an outstanding success.
Here’s a striking figure: In 2024, our exports in the defense and aerospace sectors—including NATO and service exports—increased by 29 percent, reaching a record $7.154 billion.
We exceeded our 2024 export target of $6.5 billion by 11 percent. In June 2025 alone, our exports rose 10.4 percent compared to the previous year, reaching $623 million.
Our total exports over the past 12 months grew by 23.1 percent, totaling $7.5 billion.
With sound strategies in laser and electromagnetic weapon systems, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence, we will further increase our competitiveness in the near future.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that one of Turkey’s greatest advantages is its well-educated and dynamic human capital. He stated that the country has the skilled manpower to advance its technological breakthroughs even further—especially in the defense industry—and that they are committed to developing this capacity.
He congratulated all institutions, companies, and individuals involved in these achievements—especially President of Defense Industries Haluk Görgün—and said he is proud of Turkey’s defense sector, expressing his firm belief that it will reach even greater heights in the future.
“We are moving forward with firm steps toward a fully independent Türkiye in defense”
President Erdoğan highlighted that, under the vision of “Global Power Türkiye,” the country is advancing confidently toward full independence in defense.
He announced the launch of a major transformation initiative called the "National Capability in Defense Industry", for which he personally gave approval and directives.
“Through this national capability initiative, we aim to create a systematic structure within our defense industry ecosystem.
With our work in this area and our defense and security investments, we will continue building a bigger and stronger Türkiye—one that inspires trust among friends and fear among foes.
We will work together, produce together, and walk into the future together.
May God be our helper and guide.”
Closing Remarks
President Erdoğan concluded by expressing his hope that the 17th International Defense Industry Fair would bring prosperity to all participating countries, sectors, and firms.
He thanked the friendly and brotherly nations who attended the event and wished for the signed agreements and collaborations at the fair to contribute meaningfully to bilateral relations.
He extended his gratitude to the Ministry of National Defense, the Presidency of Defense Industries, the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, and all companies contributing to the fair.
Program Notes
The event featured a promotional film for IDEF.
Speeches were delivered by National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Defense Industries President Haluk Görgün, and Turkish Armed Forces Foundation Director General Bilal Topçu.
The program included a military parade with air and land vehicles.
President Erdoğan was presented with a symbolic gift titled “The Flood of Noah,” containing a translation of the Surah Nuh (Noah).
Following the ceremony, President Erdoğan and accompanying officials cut the ribbon to officially open the fair.