Turkey: The International Force in Gaza Must Establish a Ceasefire and Ensure Humanitarian Aid Access

Sada News - The Turkish Ministry of Defense stated that Ankara's priority regarding the international stabilization force intended to be deployed in the Gaza Strip lies in ensuring the establishment of a ceasefire and the delivery of urgent needs to its residents.

A military official, in response to journalists' questions during a weekly briefing at the Ministry of Defense on Thursday regarding Turkey's participation in the stabilization force in Gaza, said that his country continues its "principled and constructive contribution to international initiatives that ensure the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza and its reconstruction."

He added that "in this context, it is essential for the Civil-Military Coordination Center, established under U.S. leadership, to operate based on international law and humanitarian principles, ensuring the uninterrupted and safe delivery of humanitarian aid."

Priorities of the International Force

He continued, "Our priority regarding the international stabilization force, which will be established under the supervision of the United Nations, is to meet the urgent needs of civilians in the region and to set international guarantees to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire."

Turkey is one of the intermediary countries for the ceasefire agreement, under the principles announced at the peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh last month, signed with the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. It has also contributed to efforts to reach a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas movement alongside the three countries.

Turkey seeks to participate in the international stabilization force in Gaza, but Israel has persistently rejected its involvement.

The Turkish military official stated, "We reiterate the necessity for the international community to share the responsibility for the continued ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, and to be ready to support any constructive effort that contributes to regional peace and stability."

Turkish-Egyptian Talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned, during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Atti on Wednesday evening after their talks in Ankara, that he discussed with Abdel Atti the issue of the international stabilization force and a potential decision from the United Nations Security Council regarding Gaza.

Fidan said, "In the coming period, it is necessary to clarify the mandate of the international stabilization force on the ground, and similarly, the legal and political frameworks for the Palestinian Committee and the Peace Council, which are expected to manage Gaza, should be clearly defined."

He added, "We continue our ongoing and intensive consultations on these issues with the countries participating in the process, especially Egypt."

For his part, Abdel Atti emphasized that "ensuring the commitment of both parties (Israel and Hamas) to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza can only be achieved with the presence of the international stabilization force," noting that the decision that will be issued by the Security Council regarding the Gaza Strip "will be of great importance and must be carefully drafted."

He stated, "There must be a precise definition of the mandates of the entities to be created under the proposed Security Council resolution," expressing hope that "there will be consensus on the resolution and that it will be issued as soon as possible."

Both ministers stressed the necessity of consolidating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and working towards transitioning to the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan.

They highlighted the need for the proposed U.S. resolution to be actionable on the ground, requiring precise and careful drafting to consider the rights of the Palestinian people in the future.

Abdel Atti and Fidan, who presided over the first meeting of the Turkish-Egyptian working group in Ankara on Wednesday, discussed the ongoing preparations for holding the "International Cairo Conference for Reconstruction and Early Recovery in the Strip," and Abdel Atti expressed Egypt's hopes for effective Turkish participation in this conference to support international efforts for the reconstruction of the region.

Both ministers stressed their countries' adherence to the two-state solution based on the June 1967 lines and rejected any attempts to change the legal status or impose new facts on the ground.