Today's Edition
Ankara (AFP)
Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas told a special session of the Turkish parliament on Thursday that he would travel to Gaza.
He was speaking as health ministry officials in the Hamas-run territory said the death toll from Israel's assault there had passed 40,000 people.
"I have decided to go to Gaza with other brothers from the Palestinian leadership," Abbas said to applause from Turkish lawmakers.
Abbas is based in Ramallah in the West Bank, and Gaza Strip is controlled by Palestinian group Hamas.
Nobody is allowed to enter the enclave, apart from a handful of humanitarian workers. Abbas has not been to Gaza since Hamas took power in 2007.
"I will do that," Abbas said in remarks translated into Turkish from Arabic. "Even if this would cost my life.
"Our life is not more worthy than the life of a child," he added.
He was wearing a white scarf decorated by Turkish and Palestinian flags, as were many of the deputies listening to his speech, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Rising tensions
Abbas, who heads the Fatah Palestinian movement, a rival to Hamas, met Erdogan on Tuesday. Erdogan was present in parliament during the keynote address.
