Turkish deputy foreign minister calls for accountability over Gaza, highlights OIC's role

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz said Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government must be held accountable for the human rights violations and massacres in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories.

Yilmaz, speaking at the 50th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Yaounde, Cameroon, noted the significance of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's remarks before the Turkish parliament on Aug. 15.

"It was meaningful that President Abbas highlighted that our lives are not more valuable than the lives of children in Gaza. This should be a wakeup call for all of us," he said.

Yilmaz also addressed the OIC's foundational purpose of protecting holy sites amid increasing Israeli provocations against Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"The OIC must always remember its reason for existence," he stressed.

On the situation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, Yilmaz highlighted their ongoing suffering under isolation and called for reaffirming their rights.

"The OIC should show solidarity with the Turkish minority in Western Thrace and the Turkish community in the 12 islands," he said.

He invited participants to the 51st CFM to be held in Türkiye in 2025 and underscored the importance of unity against Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"The Islamic world must move in greater solidarity," he said.

Yilmaz also attended the CFM Jammu-Kashmir Contact Group meeting, reiterating Türkiye's support for the Kashmiri people and the need for regional peace and stability.

Additionally, during the meeting, he engaged in bilateral talks with Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov, Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Bangladeshi Acting Foreign Minister Md. Touhid Hossain, Senegalese Secretary of State for Senegalese Abroad Amadou Cherif Diouf and Tunisian Deputy Minister Mohamed Ben Ayed.

The CFM, scheduled for Aug. 29-30, is set to produce over 100 decisions and adopt the Yaounde Declaration, including Türkiye's hosting of the 51st CFM.

During his visit, Yilmaz also met with representatives at the Turkish Embassy in Yaounde and participated in the donation ceremony of 62 prostheses by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to the National Disabled Rehabilitation Center.

He also visited the Turkish Maarif Foundation's Bastos school and received updates on its activities.