Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan criticized Netanyahu and once again compared him with Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler. The Israeli prime minister, for his part, said that Erdogan, who "is committing genocide against the Kurds and who holds the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his regime, is the last person who can preach morality to us."
"Netanyahu made a statement today about our president. You are ruthlessly and indiscriminately dropping bombs on people. Some circles do not want to understand the scale of the catastrophe when we talk about genocide. Our president spoke loudly about this in Germany and Greece. While many European capitals remained silent, our president demonstrated his position. Netanyahu is trying to wash the blood off his hands. But the world has already seen it. A permanent ceasefire and peace will only come when peace comes to Gaza. Israel is brutal, its policies are brutality. How can you explain bombs being dropped on children being treated for cancer? Many Western countries say this is the end of the road for Netanyahu," Kilic said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber.
The head of the communications department in the Turkish presidential administration, Fahrettin Altun, also said on Wednesday that the Israeli prime minister is "the last person to talk about anything related to genocide."
"The Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is the last person to talk about anything related to genocide. He has mastered skills to sell the world, his war crimes against civilians as self-defense. Even though the world fails to stop him, the history will judge him as the war criminal he is ... Netanyahu is the last person to talk about our struggle against terrorism. We have fought against the terror group PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] and its extensions for more than 40 years. Kurdish people in Türkiye themselves fought against the PKK that indiscriminately kills civilians and children just like Netanyahu himself!" Altun said on X.
Altun also said that Netanyahu is "the last person to talk about morality," adding that he "cannot lecture anyone about how to conduct terror operations because he has no experience in this arena!" The Turkish communications chief further said that the Israeli prime minister "has been on a mission to drive Palestinians out of their lands for the last four decades" and that he has not taken it "to a new level by using the Israeli army to kill civilians in their homes, hospitals and refugee camps."
"Netanyahu’s desperate attempts to save his political career by killing civilians and expanding the war are doomed to fail. Our President Erdoğan has called it for what it is and he will not stop fighting for justice no matter how many lies Netanyahu tells the world. We call on the international community, once again, to unite around our efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to bring about lasting peace. We have been doing our part and will continue to do so regardless of political attacks and defamation leveled against Türkiye. We will continue to speak the truth!" Altun's post read.
Last week, Erdogan suggested that the Israeli war on Gaza would end with Netanyahu's ouster from power, adding that "his leaving office will not save him" and that Ankara will "persecute him legally," as well as all those responsible for killings in Gaza. Erdogan also expressed hope that "Israel's cabinet reshuffle will put an end to this bloodshed."
The Turkish president has repeatedly criticized Netanyahu since the offset of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the region on October 7, calling him a "murdered" and "executioner" and saying that the Israeli prime minister launched a genocide in the Gaza Strip to prolong his political career and evade legal proceedings launched against him in Israel. Ankara also refuses to recognize Palestinian movement Hamas as a terrorist organization.
On October 7, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 21,100 people have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.