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Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “strong opinions,” Türkiye may soon send troops to oversee the post-cease-fire process in Gaza. Sources from the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) prepared for the expected role in the International Stability Force for Gaza.
Türkiye is one of the strongest critics of the Netanyahu administration’s genocidal acts in the Palestinian territories, but it also played a key role in securing the cease-fire along with the U.S., Qatar and Egypt.
Under a U.S.-led plan, an international force was anticipated to be deployed in the region, both to monitor the cease-fire and to aid the recovery of Gaza almost razed to the ground by Israeli attacks since 2023.
Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday at his opposition to any role for Turkish security forces in the Gaza Strip. Speaking in west Jerusalem alongside visiting U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Netanyahu said they had discussed the “day-after” for Gaza, including who could provide security in the territory shattered by two years of war. Vance, who said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s cease-fire plan was going better than expected, reiterated his optimism.
Having secured a cease-fire, mediators are focused on the second phase of Trump’s Gaza plan, which demands Hamas disarm and foresees the deployment of an International Stabilization Force that would train and support vetted Palestinian police.
Responding to a question about the idea of Turkish security forces in Gaza, Netanyahu said: “We will decide together about that. So I have very strong opinions about that. Want to guess what they are?”
Vance said on Tuesday there would be a “constructive role” for Türkiye to play as the truce moved toward the next stage.
Once warm relations between NATO member Türkiye and Israel hit new lows during the conflict, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sharply criticizing Israel’s attacks on the enclave and elsewhere in the Middle East. Türkiye, which helped persuade Hamas to accept Trump’s plan, has said it would take part in the international task force to monitor the implementation of the cease-fire, and that its armed forces could serve in a military or civilian capacity as needed.
Two weeks ago, Erdoğan said Türkiye could play a role “in the field,” while a senior official told Reuters that it will take part in the joint task force – alongside Israel, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt – established to locate the bodies of deceased hostages in Gaza whose locations were unknown.
Under the first phase of Trump’s plan, a cease-fire began 12 days ago. It was followed by the release of remaining living hostages seized by Hamas and the freeing of some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
But the cease-fire has remained fragile, with flashes of violence and recriminations over the pace of returning hostage bodies, bringing in aid and opening borders.
Israeli forces have killed at least 87 Palestinians, among them civilians, since the cease-fire began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Defense Ministry sources said on Thursday that it was imperative to prioritize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region and the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure. They said a civil-military coordination center was established to that extent.
“As part of this structure, the International Stabilization Force is planned to be founded to conduct security patrols, protect civilian infrastructure, help humanitarian aid efforts, border security, training of local security forces and monitor the cease-fire. The Turkish Armed Forces have experience from previous peacekeeping missions they participated in the past and are ready to fulfill duties to maintain peace, in the framework of international laws,” sources said.
Türkiye has been a major contributor to peacekeeping missions in the past, including some still continuing. In the Balkans, it joined other NATO countries for missions in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina after conflicts in the late 1990s. In Afghanistan, it maintained a sizeable contingent in the 2000s. Before the new round of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, it also contributed to a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, right near the hot spots of the conflict.
Sources said the army was coordinating its preparations with relevant state institutions. “As one of the four guarantor countries of the cease-fire agreement, Türkiye continues holding diplomatic and military consultations with other countries,” sources said.
Eurofighter acquisition
Defense Ministry sources also responded to questions about Türkiye’s acquisition of Eurofighter jets from the U.K.
Several media outlets reported earlier this week that Türkiye was seeking to accelerate the process to procure fighter jets from European countries and the U.S. It inked a preliminary agreement for acquiring 40 Eurofighter Typhoons. Some media reports claimed that Ankara may prefer secondhand jets from third countries, namely from Qatar, with the approval of Eurofighter consortium members Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Sources said Türkiye was planning to acquire jets from several countries until the start of delivery of the locally made fighter jet Kaan. They said positive steps were taken with the U.K. on the matter, and the delivery is expected to be completed on time.
“Official announcement will be made when Eurofighter acquisition is formally included in an agreement,” sources said.
