Erdogan tells UAE president that Israel resuming attacks on Gaza is ‘very negative’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan that Israel restarting its attacks on Gaza after the collapse of a week-long truce was “very negative,” his office said on Friday.

The Turkish and Emirati leaders met on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai. Erdogan also met the prime ministers of Japan and Italy to discuss Gaza, as well as with his counterpart from Uzbekistan, the presidency said.

“President Erdogan, who noted that the restarting of clashes was very negative, said Turkey was working to achieve a lasting ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza,” it said in a statement, adding Erdogan also said Turkey was doing its best to stop Israel’s “massacre” but that the Muslim world needed to act in unison.