Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomes Gaza ceasefire deal

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it welcomes the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza, hoping that it “will bring an end to the genocide that has continued for the past two years.”

Expecting the ceasefire agreement to be implemented in full, the statement by the ministry said that “with the ceasefire in place, it is imperative that humanitarian aid be delivered to Gaza—where a humanitarian catastrophe has been unfolding—and that efforts for the reconstruction of Gaza be launched without delay. Türkiye will continue to provide substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza in the period ahead.”

Indicating that lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian question, the statement expressed the ministry’s hope “that the momentum achieved in the ceasefire negotiations will also contribute to the realization of a two-state solution in the coming period.”

“We commend the efforts of Qatar, Egypt, and the US in mediating the ceasefire negotiations. Türkiye reaffirms its commitment to actively contribute and extend its support throughout the implementation phases of the ceasefire agreement,” the statement said.

US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a US-proposed Gaza deal.

The 20-point plan, first announced on Sept. 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children.

The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and disease.