Turkey: Israel has no intention or plan for peace in Gaza

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated on Wednesday that Israel has "no intention or plan for peace" in Gaza, accusing the Israeli government of undermining the US-backed peace process and pursuing expansionist policies. Fidan told reporters that Hamas had fulfilled many responsibilities for the plan, while Israel continued to obstruct it. He warned that Israel's actions could lead to a global crisis.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry echoed these sentiments on Sunday, asserting that recent Israeli attacks on Gaza demonstrated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government lacked a genuine intention to make peace with Palestinians. The ministry stated that Netanyahu's objective was to displace Palestinians and prevent regional stability, citing strikes that killed dozens of civilians and targeted medical facilities shortly after a ceasefire roadmap was agreed upon.

Nickolay Mladenov, lead envoy for the Board of Peace, reported that Israeli strikes over the preceding two days had killed civilians and destroyed vital medical supplies. Gaza's Health Ministry indicated that at least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday alone. Fidan also informed the Turkish parliament about the worsening situation in Gaza, attributing it to Israeli actions and a man-made famine, and warned of regional and global consequences if Israel is not stopped.

Fidan accused the Netanyahu government of committing crimes to expand Israeli territories, noting that Israel currently occupies 85 percent of Gaza and is preparing to occupy the rest. He reiterated Türkiye's stance against the forced migration of Palestinians and highlighted the country's diplomatic efforts, including severing trade ties with Israel, to promote a two-state solution. The recognition of Palestine as a state by several countries was cited by Fidan as a significant diplomatic achievement. Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş added that Israel's membership in international organizations should be reconsidered.