Türkiye to host Gaza peace meeting with Muslim nations
ANKARA
Türkiye will host a key meeting with prominent Muslim nations to evaluate the implementation of the Gaza peace plan amid continued Israeli violations and provocations.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will chair the meeting on Oct. 3 in Istanbul, hosting foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, sources from the Foreign Ministry informed.
The sources stressed that the meeting will take place with the countries that met U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 23 on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly, where the initial Gaza peace plan was discussed.
The meeting will address recent developments regarding the ceasefire and humanitarian situation in Gaza, they said.
According to the sources, Fidan will underline the fact that Israel is constantly making excuses to end the ceasefire, as seen in the past week, and the international community should demonstrate a more decisive stance against the Israeli provocations.
Fidan will emphasize the crucial need for Muslim countries to coordinate efforts to transform the ceasefire into a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
The foreign ministers will also assess the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Fidan will recall that Israel is not implementing the agreement and is blocking the entrance of a sufficient number of trucks into Gaza.
Pressure on Israel must for enduring ceasefire
Uninterrupted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza is a humanitarian and legal obligation, the Turkish minister will underline and call for pressure on Israel to this end.
The meeting will also address the second phase of the Gaza peace plan that foresees the demilitarization of Hamas and governance of Gaza.
Fidan will underline that arrangements that will allow Palestinians to take over Gaza’s security and governance must be implemented as soon as possible, while highlighting the importance of maintaining Palestinians' legitimate rights and two-state vision.
He will also stress the importance of continued engagements in relevant U.N. platforms and sustaining coordination over steps to be taken in the coming period, sources said.
Fidan met Hamas leaders
In the meantime, Fidan held a meeting with the representatives of Hamas' political bureau in Istanbul on Nov. 1, the sources said.
The meeting addressed the implementation of the ceasefire and humanitarian problems in Gaza.
Türkiye has played a key role in securing the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in line with the 20-article Gaza peace plan initiated by U.S. President Trump. It is seen as one of the key countries that can contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza and the normalization of living conditions in the Gaza Strip.
Türkiye-Israel tensions
Israeli leaders have repeatedly voiced their opposition to Türkiye, a NATO member with one of the region's most credible militaries, having any role in the international peacekeeping force mooted for Gaza.
Under Trump's plan, that stabilization mission is meant to take over in the wake of the Israeli army's withdrawal from the Palestinian territory.
A Turkish disaster relief team, sent to help efforts to recover the many bodies buried under Gaza's rubble -- including those of Israeli hostages seized by Hamas - has likewise been stuck at the border because of the Israeli government's refusal to let them in, according to Ankara.
