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Israel must be pressured with sanctions and arms bans to keep its promises on Gaza ceasefire, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday, underlining that Türkiye is ready to do what is necessary for Gaza.
“Israel must be forced to keep its promises through sanctions and the halting of arms sales. We are taking steps to achieve this and will continue to do so,” Erdoğan told reporters on board the presidential plane while returning from his Gulf tour.
On the other side, he also said that talks are underway on the multifaceted Gaza task force issue, with Ankara ready to offer the strip all necessary support. Most recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced reservations for a Turkish military footprint in Gaza.
Since the escalation of violence in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Türkiye has emerged as one of the most active countries supporting the Palestinian people through large-scale humanitarian relief, diplomatic mediation and calls for accountability under international law.
From massive aid deliveries and patient evacuations to shuttle diplomacy led by senior officials, Ankara has sustained its efforts for nearly two years while insisting that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution.
Türkiye’s humanitarian campaign for Gaza has been described by officials as one of the largest in the country’s history. According to data from the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), more than 101,000 tons of aid have been delivered since the beginning of the conflict.
Sixteen cargo ships and 14 aircraft carried supplies including 25,000 tons of food, 3,000 tons of drinking water, tens of thousands of tents, blankets and hygiene kits, as well as 247 tons of medical equipment.
The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and dozens of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), such as the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation and the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), have distributed hot meals, set up mobile kitchens and provided shelter materials to hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians inside the enclave.
Medical support has been a central pillar of the response. Since late 2023, Türkiye has airlifted over 430 wounded or ill Gazans and their carers to Turkish hospitals for treatment, while sending field hospitals, ambulances and medicine to the region.
Turkish doctors working under state and NGO programs have continued to assist in overstretched health facilities such as the Al-Aqsa and Al-Ahli Hospitals.
Alongside aid operations, Türkiye has pursued an intense diplomatic agenda aimed at halting hostilities and facilitating humanitarian access.
Erdoğan and Fidan have maintained constant contact with regional and international counterparts, including Egypt, Qatar and the U.S., to push for cease-fire terms acceptable to all sides.
Ankara welcomed each temporary truce, emphasizing that a cessation of bloodshed must be followed by sustained humanitarian relief and reconstruction. Türkiye has also declared readiness to contribute personnel to any future international mission supervising a cease-fire or rebuilding Gaza’s infrastructure.
At international platforms, Ankara has repeatedly condemned Israeli attacks on civilian areas and restrictions on aid entry, describing them as violations of humanitarian law. Türkiye has backed legal efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and voiced full support for the recognition of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The government suspended trade with Israel earlier this year in protest of continued attacks and the obstruction of aid convoys, while urging other nations to apply similar pressure.
Last year, Ankara also joined a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), launched by South Africa, over its war crimes in Gaza.
Parliament has also been working to contribute to ending Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Earlier this month, Parliament unanimously adopted a motion condemning Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla Coalition in international waters, calling it a “shameful assault” on humanitarian activists and a violation of international law. Moreover, it broke a recess in August “to inform lawmakers on Israel’s Gaza assault, the genocide and oppression against the Palestinian people, famine policies and the current situation in the region.”
