ISTANBUL, July 30. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israel a threat to the entire world, urging the international community to stop it before it is too late.

""Gaza today has turned into the world's largest death camp. The State of Israel is a threat not only to Palestine and Lebanon, but to humanity as a whole. The [Israeli] genocide, this cruelty and barbarism must be stopped immediately before it is too late. How many more thousands of children must die to make one see that Israel's aggressive policies are a threat to the entire region?" the Turkish president said at a meeting with the leadership of regional branches of the ruling Justice and Development Party, broadcast by TRT Haber.

The president emphasized that he would not be intimidated by any threats from "computer clowns." Erdogan was referring to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who said that Erdogan could repeat the fate of Saddam Hussein, who led Iraq from 1979 to 2003 and was executed in 2006.

The top diplomat’s words came in response to Erdogan's recent statement that Turkey could enter Israel just as it once did in Nagorno Karabakh and Libya. Thus, the Turkish president stated Ankara's readiness to support Palestine, but he did not speak openly about the possibility of a military operation on Israeli territory.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated sharply after the Palestinian-Israeli conflict escalated in October 2023. The sides have repeatedly exchanged harsh remarks and mutual accusations. In late October 2023, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was recalling diplomats from Ankara "in order to reappraise Israeli-Turkish relations." Turkey also recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations.