ISTANBUL
Turkish Prime Minister and presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn a huge crowd of supporters for his campaign rally in the country's largest city of Istanbul, with seven days to go until the first round of the election.
Hundreds of thousands of people had filled the rally site -- a 1.2 million square meters area in Maltepe -- hours before Erdogan's appearance to voice their support for him in Sunday's election.
During his passionate address to his supporters, Erdogan renewed his strong criticism against ongoing Israeli offensives on the Gaza strip, which have left at least 1,830 Palestinians dead according to Palestinian health ministry.
"The goals pursued by Israel in Gaza are the same with what Hitler attempted to do to create a master race," Erdogan said.
The Israeli offensive – codenamed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip within the last six years.
Civilians, including children and women, make up a substantial part of the causalities from the relentless shelling and bombardments in Gaza, where many residential places as well as UN facilities, schools and mosques have become targets.
"They will drown in the blood they shed," Erdogan added.
Erdogan also criticized international media for ignoring the death of 10 journalists and the assault on the building housing Anadolu Agency's Gaza office.
"Are there any reactions from the world? Where are the international media and press organizations? You immediately stand up in support of terror criminals in Turkey, saying 'Journalists are under arrest!' Why don't you see the journalists killed in Palestine?" he asked.
The building housing Anadolu Agency's office has been hit twice by the Israeli army since July 7.
The Turkish premier also said Turkey continued to aid Gazans by sending food assistance to thousands of families and delivering 20 tons of medicine and medical equipment since the beginning of the latest wave of Israeli onslaught on Gaza.
www.aa.com.tr/en
