Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, criticised the UN on Wednesday and urged the "Islamic world" to respond to the most recent, fatal Israeli strikes in Gaza.

“The UN cannot even protect its own staff. What are you waiting for to act? The spirit of the United Nations is dead in Gaza,” Erdogan told lawmakers from his AKP party.

Erdogan made his remarks as the UN Security Council convened to review Tuesday's fatal Israeli attack on a camp for displaced people west of Rafah, which left 21 people dead, according to a civil defence officer in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.

The Turkish leader also hit out at fellow Muslim-majority countries for failing to take common action over the Israeli strike.

“I have some words to say to the Islamic world: what are you waiting for to take a common decision?” Erdogan, who leads a Muslim-majority country of 85 million people, told lawmakers from his AKP party.

“Israel is not just a threat to Gaza but to all of humanity,” he said.

“No state is safe as long as Israel does not follow international law and does not feel bound by international law,” Erdogan added, repeating an accusation that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza.