Türkiye one of key contributors to Gaza deal: Erdoğan

RIZE

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described Türkiye as a key country with its contribution to achieving peace in Gaza, vowing it will continue its role in the implementation phase of the historic agreement.

“From the very first day, we have been one of the countries that contributed most to this process. Our main agenda during our trips to Washington D.C. and New York was stopping the bloodshed in Gaza. We had very sincere and fruitful talks with Mr. [U.S. President Donald] Trump,” Erdoğan said in the Black Sea province of Rize on Oct. 10.

Erdoğan referred to his bilateral meeting with Trump on Sept. 25, just after attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York where the Palestinian issue was the key concern.

Trump, in his meeting with prominent Muslim leaders including Erdoğan on Sept. 23, outlined his plan aiming to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli army since October 2023.

Erdoğan recalled that he deployed National Intelligence Organization chief İbrahim Kalın to Doha where Hamas met with a delegation from Qatar and Egypt while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to contribute to the peace process.

“We have done more than our best for bringing peace and security to Gaza,” Erdoğan recalled.

“As a result, the agreement was signed and a path for a permanent peace was opened. Despite challenges, we deem it very important."

 Türkiye will monitor implementation

After the signing of the agreement, it is important to ensure its full implementation, Erdoğan said, informing that Türkiye will shoulder responsibility to this end.

“First we will speedily deliver humanitarian aid from our ships docked at the Al-Arish Port,” Erdoğan said, underlining the importance of sending more aid to the Gazans in this period.

Another important issue is to discourage Israel from sabotaging the peace process. “We are aware of Israel’s bad reputation in failing to keep its promises. They have betrayed in the past and we are exerting efforts to take necessary precautions to avoid its repetition,” Erdoğan said.

“Revisiting genocidal acts will have serious consequences,” the president urged, stressing peace must prevail in the region.

“As we have stood with Palestinians during its struggle and negotiations, Türkiye will continue its support to Palestinians afterwards."