ISTANBUL / ANKARA: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday called on Israel to immediately halt violations of the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza and to fulfil its obligations to allow unhindered humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
Speaking at a press conference following a ministerial meeting in Istanbul attended by top diplomats from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and Turkey, Fidan said discussions focused on the fragile truce, humanitarian conditions, and post-war governance in Gaza.
He revealed that participating nations were still negotiating the framework for a United Nations–mandated stabilization force, part of the US-brokered ceasefire plan. “Each country will make its decision on troop deployment once the mission’s definition and scope are finalized,” he said.
Fidan emphasized Turkey’s stance that Gaza should be governed and secured by Palestinians themselves, adding that Ankara would continue to advocate for Palestinian control of their own affairs.
The Istanbul meeting follows months of regional diplomacy as Turkey seeks to influence the post-war roadmap for Gaza, amid growing concerns over the ceasefire’s fragility and repeated Israeli strikes despite the truce signed on October 10. The ceasefire, mediated by US President Donald Trump, aimed to end the two-year-long Israel–Hamas conflict but has been severely tested in recent weeks.
Earlier on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Hamas appeared to be adhering to the truce, accusing Israel of “repeated violations.” Addressing an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) gathering in Istanbul, Erdoğan urged Muslim nations to play a “leading role” in Gaza’s reconstruction and called for the immediate implementation of the Arab League and OIC recovery plan unveiled in March.
Ceasefire alone is not enough the massacres must end, and Gaza’s reconstruction should begin under Palestinian leadership, Erdoğan stressed.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to oppose any Turkish involvement in the proposed international stabilization force, citing Ankara’s longstanding ties with Hamas. Turkish officials, however, confirmed that Ankara recently hosted a Hamas delegation led by senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, underlining Turkey’s role as a key interlocutor in regional peace efforts.
Fidan reiterated that Turkey would press Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, where UN agencies warn of famine-like conditions and blocked relief convoys. Ankara also accused Israel of barring a Turkish disaster relief team from entering Gaza to assist in recovery operations and the search for hostages buried under rubble.