Türkiye to play facilitating role in Gaza truce implementation

PARIS

Türkiye will play a facilitating role in the implementation of the truce between Israel and Hamas, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Oct. 9, following high-level discussions in Paris on the Gaza ceasefire plan.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fidan said a team comprising the United States, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar would engage with both Palestinian and Israeli representatives to follow up on agreed aspects of the truce.

Representatives from France, the United States, the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League also attended the Paris meeting, where participants reviewed the details of the ceasefire framework.

Fidan noted that the mediator countries would assume respective duties under the agreement, though specific roles have yet to be defined.

“This team will step in when the time comes to find practical solutions to problems that may arise as the agreement is implemented,” he said.

His remarks followed comments from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this week announcing that Türkiye would join a joint task force overseeing the truce’s implementation.

Fidan emphasized Türkiye’s “important and constructive role” in the diplomatic process and urged greater unity among Islamic nations.

“If we come together, we can achieve things. In fact, some things are not our destiny. We just need more willpower, more effort, more professionalism and more independent thinking,” he said.

He added that the new diplomatic approach demonstrated by Türkiye could help resolve not only the Palestinian issue but also other regional conflicts.

Meanwhile, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said on Oct. 10 that the Turkish Armed Forces stand ready to participate in any peacekeeping mission in Gaza following the ceasefire.

“With their experience in establishing and maintaining peace, our forces are ready for any task entrusted to them,” the ministry sources told reporters in Ankara.