Following 10 days of airstrikes, Israel launched a ground operation in the Gaza Strip on July 17. Subsequently, not only did Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s initial measured reaction turn sharper, but all four political parties represented in Turkey's parliament uncharacteristically agreed — on a document condemning Israel’s Gaza operation. Protests also took place in front of the Israeli missions in Ankara and Istanbul, which led Israel to reduce to a minimum its diplomatic staff in Turkey.

Erdogan claimed on July 18 that this latest round of escalation did not start with the abduction of the three Israeli teenagers on June 12. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived in Istanbul on July 18 for a previously scheduled meeting with both his counterpart Abdullah Gul and Erdogan, echoed the same view. Abbas said in a joint news conference with Gul, “This latest round of conflict started with the Palestinian boy being burned to death [July 2].”

Erdogan keeps questioning why Hamas’ rockets do not kill any Israeli or cause damage on Israeli territory. “It is all a lie that Israel has taken these steps in response to this issue about three (Israeli) youngsters. Because Israel is the state that knows best how to kill children,” Erdogan said, accusing Israel of using “state terror” and practicing “genocide." He continued, "I said this before in Davos. 'You know well how to kill children,' I said. Remember they had also shot children back then on the beach; they now again killed kids with bombs on the beach. In my view, humanity’s conscience is not aching. Unfortunately, Israel is continuing to cause the same devastation and use the same disproportionate force.”

Gul also sent a warning to Israel and stated that a cease-fire is the ultimate priority for a lasting peace between the sides. “The violence is escalating. After 60 years of suffering, oppression, occupation, martyrdom, tears (and) misery, the Palestinian people are suffering again in this sacred Ramadan month,” Gul said. “Israeli attacks not only target Palestinian people (in) Gaza, but also the national reconciliation [between Fatah and Hamas] because Israel is the most uneasy with Palestinian unity and reconciliation.”