Ankara (TDI): Addressing the beginning of higher education academic year in Turkiye, President Erdogan said that Turkiye will be a part of the “task force” overseeing the implementation of the first phase of Gaza peace plan, agreed upon between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday.
Turkiye, alongside Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the US will also help search for the bodies of hostages in Gaza, as per reports.
Though Egypt and Qatar have been the official mediators between Israel and Hamas, the more recent turn of events, following the announcement of Trump’s peace plan, saw a greater role by Turkiye.
“God willing, we as Turkey will take part in the task force that will monitor the agreement’s implementation in the field,” Erdogan said.
The country’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, participated in the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt that culminated into the first phase agreement.
Reports suggest the chief spoke to all sides except Israel; for Turkiye has been a very strong and angry critic of Israel’s aggression in Gaza.
Read More: Israel, Hamas Agree to First Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Plan, Trump Says
“I am very pleased that the Hamas-Israel talks taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, with contributions from us as Turkey, have resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza,” Erdogan later wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
Turkiye emerged in the limelight as Trump sat down with the leaders of the Muslims countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, late last month.
Later, a one-on-one meeting with Trump at the White House and a phone call between the two last week also confirmed Turkiye’s active role in convincing Hamas and guiding it regarding the peace plan.
‘Nobody in the world deserves peace, security, and stability more than the people of Gaza,’ President Erdogan said addressing the foresaid gathering, adding that Turkiye will also support reconstruction in Gaza.
Trump also acknowledged the role Turkiye has come to play more recently as he announced the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange agreement.
“We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye, who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen,” he wrote.
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