At UN climate summit in Turkey, Erdoğan accuses Israel of 'ecocide' over Gaza war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blasted Israel again over the war in Gaza at the United Nations climate summit, which is being hosted in Antalya, Turkey.

Erdoğan not only reiterated the claim that Israel is guilty of genocide over its actions in the Gaza Strip, but the Turkish leader also accused the Jewish State of “ecocide.”

“What has taken place in Gaza is not only a genocide, but it is also an ecocide,” Erdoğan said in his address to the gathered world leaders and climate activists.

“Centuries-old olive trees have been cut down. The soil and water have been polluted in Gaza, and cities in Gaza have been turned into enormous piles of rubble,” Erdoğan said.

The Turkish president also appeared to blame Israel for reports of flooding, after heavy rains hit the eastern Mediterranean area last week.

“With Gaza’s destroyed infrastructure, compounded by torrential rain and by flooding, tens of thousands of tents and shelters have been inundated,,” Erdoğan stated.

Earlier at the summit, Erdoğan attacked Israel for not granting permission for shelters made from shipping containers to enter the Gaza Strip.

“Today, we are asking Israel for containers. But right now, our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza are unfortunately being forced to live in tents surrounded by mud,” Erdoğan said. “Are these people not human? Are they not even considered deserving of a tent? We want to send containers, but we are not being given permission to do so.”

Israel has refused entry for any dual-use reconstruction supplies until Hamas fulfills its obligation under the October 2025 ceasefire agreement to completely disarm and hand over the administration of the enclave to the technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

The Foreign Ministry responded to Erdoğan’s statements on social media, saying that blame for the destruction in Gaza lies with Hamas.

“Once again, Dictator Erdoğan is using an international forum to push his anti-Israel campaign of lies,” the ministry wrote to its 𝕏 account. “Hamas, whose leaders are hosted in Erdoğan’s Türkiye, is responsible for the devastation in Gaza.”

Once again, Dictator Erdoğan is using an international forum to push his anti-Israel campaign of lies. Hamas, whose leaders are hosted in Erdoğan’s Türkiye, is responsible for the devastation in Gaza. Hamas started this war with the October 7th massacre and embedded its military infrastructure in civilian areas. Those who truly care about Gaza should demand that Hamas disarm so reconstruction can begin.

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) November 11, 2026

“Those who truly care about Gaza should demand that Hamas disarm so reconstruction can begin,” it concluded.

Israel was not invited to attend the UN climate conference in Turkey due to outrage over the Gaza war, Turkish Environment Minister and COP President Murat Kurum said Tuesday.

“As the host country for the leaders’ summit, we did not send an invitation to Israel,” Murat told Turkish media. “Of course, we will discuss the climate and climate justice here. We say that there can be no climate justice where peace does not prevail.”

The U.S. was also not in attendance, as President Donald Trump has largely ignored climate conferences in both terms in office.

However, a delegation from Iran was invited to attend the conference.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is part of the delegation, said his country would use the summit to “discuss the legitimate positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the crimes committed by the United States and Israel in the region.”