Erdoğan urges Israel not to derail Gaza peace talks

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged Israel not to undermine efforts to end the war in Gaza, expressing both hope and caution as ceasefire negotiations continue in Egypt.

“We hope Israel keeps its promises and does not take steps that would sabotage the peace. We are hopeful for a permanent ceasefire and peace, but we are also cautious,” Erdoğan told reporters aboard his plane returning from Azerbaijan on Oct. 7.

He said Türkiye's priorities include securing an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and rebuilding the enclave’s devastated infrastructure.

“We are conducting intense diplomatic efforts for this purpose,” he added. “The issue of how security will be ensured and how the stabilization force will be established and operated can be evaluated in detail.”

Emphasizing that Gaza “must remain the land of the Palestinian people,” Erdoğan said its governance should rest with Palestinians.

“For this reason, I attach great importance to the negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh... The outcome there is of great importance,” he said. “When I say we support all efforts, I made this statement considering all possibilities.”

The talks in the Egyptian resort city bring together officials from Israel, Hamas, Türkiye, the United States and Qatar.

“All Palestinians know that Türkiye protects and safeguards the interests of Palestine. We defend the rights of the oppressed people of Gaza and the rights of our brothers in other parts of Palestine as if we were defending ourselves," Erdoğan said.

“We have been striving for years to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and ensure the safety of the oppressed. We have always been in contact with Hamas during this process. We still are.”

Erdoğan also recounted that during his meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump last month, he discussed ways to achieve a solution in the Palestinian territories. “Hamas responded by telling us they are ready for peace and negotiations... I consider this a very, very valuable step,” he said. “We have not seen Israel display similar constructive attitudes so far.”

Meanwhile, Erdoğan renewed his call for a new constitution in a speech on Oct. 8.

Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have long criticized the existing charter for its origins in the 1980 military coup.

“Despite recent revisions, the need for a new civilian constitution has not been fully met,” he told AKP lawmakers. “A civilian constitution that rejects the legacy of military coups and divides our democratic experiences into chapters is what our nation needs.”

Erdoğan said such a constitution should serve as a “new social contract” embraced by all 86 million citizens. “The sooner we resolve this issue, the more we will serve our country and our nation,” he said.