Turkey’s parliament will interrupt its summer recess for an extraordinary sitting on Friday, Aug. 29 at 14:00 to address the Gaza war and humanitarian relief options. Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş called the session under Constitution Article 93 and Rules of Procedure Articles 7 and 59(2); Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is slated to brief the General Assembly.
The push originated with seven opposition and smaller parties—the CHP, DEM Party, New Path group, YRP, TİP, EMEP, and the Democrat Party—who requested an urgent debate to “stop the inhumane massacre” and expand aid delivery. While MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli publicly dismissed the need for an emergency meeting—accusing the opposition of “exploiting Gaza” and saying the time is for “work and concrete action” rather than more debate—the AKP is expected to attend, according to parliamentary chatter, ensuring broad representation across the aisle.
The session unfolds against a grim backdrop. The IPC has declared famine in parts of Gaza Governorate (Aug. 22), warning of further spread without unobstructed aid. Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in about 250 hostages, the Gaza health ministry reports over 62,000 Palestinians killed by Israel.
Turkey’s policy will come under scrutiny in the hall. Ankara announced a trade embargo on Israel in May 2024 and has sent humanitarian consignments to Gaza, yet the government faces domestic criticism over alleged loopholes in commerce and the pace of aid. With Fidan’s briefing, opposition and smaller parties are expected to press for clarity on aid corridors, enforcement of trade restrictions and next-step diplomacy.
