Turkish Parliament Speaker Calls for Lasting Gaza Ceasefire

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has declared that achieving a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza represents Türkiye's most urgent objective during high-level parliamentary discussions in Islamabad. Speaking at a trilateral meeting with his counterparts from Pakistan and Azerbaijan, Kurtulmuş emphasized the critical need for sustained international engagement to secure lasting peace in the Palestinian territory.

While acknowledging promising recent diplomatic developments, Kurtulmuş expressed serious concerns about Israel's potential return to aggressive military tactics following the completion of hostage exchanges. "Israel's unruly, aggressive, and expansionist actions over the past two years demonstrate the need for quite careful, meticulous, and close monitoring during this process," he stated, urging continued international pressure to prevent renewed violence.

The parliamentary leaders from Türkiye, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan concluded their meeting by signing the Islamabad Declaration, reinforcing their commitment to collaborative efforts for regional stability. Kurtulmuş announced that the Parliamentary Group in Solidarity, established in April, would intensify its work to support the Gaza peace process at the legislative level. He described the three nations as "one nation, three different states," highlighting their shared perspectives on critical regional issues.

Beyond the Gaza situation, the trilateral discussions addressed multiple areas of cooperation including defense, security, sustainable development, and climate resilience. Kurtulmuş also expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan and Pakistan's consistent support regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, indicating plans to enhance parliamentary engagement with the TRNC in the coming period.