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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama late on Tuesday regarding the developments concerning the recent Israeli attack on ships carrying humanitarian relief to Gaza, Anadolu news agency reported.
According to a statement released by the press office of the Turkish Prime Ministry early on Wednesday, Erdogan said during the phone-talk that Israel's attack was an unacceptable unlawfulness and breach of international precedents.
Asking for the immediate return of the bodies of Turkish citizens killed in the attack as well as release and return of the wounded people, volunteers and aid ships back to Turkey, Erdogan said that the embargo on Gaza should be lifted.
"Israel is faced with the risk of losing its only friend in the region which has done the greatest contribution to regional peace up until now," Erdogan said, adding the steps to be taken by Israel in upcoming days would determine this country's position in the region.
During the conversation, U.S. President Obama expressed his sorrow over the death of the Turkish citizens on board the aid ships as well as of the Turkish soldiers in a recent terrorist attack in southern Iskenderun province.
Noting his country assessed Turkey's feelings over aid to Gaza and the consecutive developments in the best way, Obama said USA displayed intense efforts for the solution of the matter in accordance with international law and in line with Turkey's expectations.
Obama also said that he believed Turkey and USA would continue to work closely for regional peace.
Israeli naval forces raided a convoy of ships of Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, killing at least 9 people and injuring 30 others on Monday.
Turkey strongly protested Israel and recalled its ambassador.
Four of the nine people who died in Israeli forces' attack on Gaza-bound aid flotilla were Turkish citizens.
The UN Security Council, which convened in an emergency session upon Turkey's call, condemned the Israeli intervention.
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