Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has on Wednesday accused the West of turning a blind eye to the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza had been razed, he said, during a visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Ankara.

“Our German friends must see this tragic situation.

“The entire West stands by Israel,” Erdoğan said.

The Turkish president also once again sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and accused him of endangering the entire Middle East in order to ensure his political survival.

However, he emphasised that Turkey was making efforts to secure the release of the hostages abducted from Israel to the Gaza Strip.

Erdoğan called for restrictions on arms exports to Turkey to be lifted completely.

He also expressed concern about rising racism in Germany.