Erdogan Says Türkiye to Take Part in Overseeing Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Türkiye aims to take part in a “task force” overseeing the newly-agreed ceasefire in Gaza and the implementation of its articles, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, as Ankara appeared to have emerged as a key player in both the negotiations and execution of the deal.
A senior Turkish official separately told Reuters that the regional power will take part in a joint task force – alongside Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt – established to locate the bodies of deceased hostages in Gaza whose locations are unknown, according to Reuters.
Türkiye, which participated in the ceasefire negotiations in Egypt, has been one of the harshest critics of Israel’s assault on Gaza, calling it a genocide. Since Israel launched its attack on Gaza two years ago, the NATO ally has been involved in a largely indirect capacity in peace efforts but took a heightened role in recent weeks.
“God willing, we as Türkiye will take part in the task force that will monitor the agreement’s implementation in the field,” Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara, adding that Türkiye will also contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza.
He also highlighted Türkiye’s role in the process, describing events leading up to the agreement – from the Gaza meeting at the United Nations General Assembly to his discussions on the issue with US President Donald Trump at the White House last month and a subsequent phone call last week.
It was not immediately clear whether Erdogan and the senior official were referring to the same task force or whether it was a reference to a “stabilization force” per Trump’s plan.
Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin attended the talks in Egypt, where he conveyed Ankara’s views and guidance to Hamas on how to move forward, according to a security official, who added Kalin also held separate talks with all parties except the Israeli side. Türkiye deems Hamas a resistance group.
Erdogan has said that he explained to Trump how peace can be achieved in Gaza and that the US president requested Ankara’s help in convincing Hamas to accept his plan.
