International community urged to slam Gaza killings

By Nilay Kar Onum

ISTANBUL

Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman has urged the international community to strongly react against Israel following the killing of more than 60 Gazans in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the 25th anniversary of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC): Summit of the Speakers, where Anadolu Agency is the official photo provider, Kahraman said: “International community needs to show its reaction against this massacre in the strongest term.”

“The Middle East peace process needs to be revived…for the establishment of the Palestinian state and in order to stop tears of the Palestinian people.”

He termed the recent Israeli killings as “inhuman” and “shameful”, adding that the day Israeli forces killed dozens of Palestinians along the Gaza fence should be called “Black Monday”.

He mentioned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for an emergency summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to be held in Istanbul on Friday over the latest Gaza developments.

“We will follow the subject [of Gaza killings] in the light of UN and international foundations.”

He also slammed U.S. President Donald Trump on the move to relocate his country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, calling it a “big mistake”.

“The biggest fault for this is on Trump,” Kahraman told reporters during a break at the summit.

At least 62 Palestinians were martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli forces along the Gaza-Israel fence Monday.

Thousands of Palestinians had gathered on Gaza Strip’s eastern border Monday to take part in protests aimed to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Since the Gaza rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.