Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan praised the efforts and leadership of US President Donald Trump in seeking to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, following Trump’s securing of support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the US peace proposal.
After Monday’s discussions between Trump and Netanyahu in Washington, the White House released a 20-point plan for Gaza.
The plan calls for:
- Immediate ceasefire
- Hostage exchanges between Hamas-held Israelis and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel
- Phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
- Disarmament of Hamas
- Formation of a transitional government led by an international body
It remains unclear whether Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the US and EU, will accept the agreement.
“I welcome the efforts and leadership of President Trump, aimed at stopping the bloodshed in Gaza and achieving a ceasefire,” Erdogan said. He met with Trump last week at the White House for the first time in six years.
Erdogan emphasized that Turkey will continue contributing to the process to establish a just, sustainable, and acceptable peace for all parties.
Turkey has been a vocal critic of Israel’s two-year Gaza conflict, describing it as “genocide.” During this period, Israel’s offensive has reportedly killed over 65,000 Palestinians, caused extreme hunger, destroyed most buildings, and displaced much of the population.
The war began after a Hamas-led attack in southern Israel, in which militants reportedly killed around 1,200 people and abducted 251 others.
