Türkiye to Join Gaza Ceasefire Monitoring Task Force, Erdogan Says

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared that Türkiye will actively participate in an international task force responsible for monitoring the implementation of the newly established Gaza ceasefire agreement on the ground. Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 higher education academic year in Ankara on Thursday, Erdogan outlined Türkiye's commitment to ensuring the agreement's successful execution and Gaza's subsequent reconstruction.

President Erdogan identified several immediate requirements as essential for the agreement's success, describing urgent humanitarian assistance, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and an immediate cessation of Israeli military operations as "of critical importance." He affirmed that "our aim is to halt the genocide in Gaza and bring peace to the region as quickly as possible," while stressing that "nobody in the world deserves peace, security, and stability more than the people of Gaza."

The Turkish leader confirmed that Türkiye would collaborate with the international community to support reconstruction initiatives aimed at rebuilding Gaza's devastated infrastructure. This commitment aligns with the first phase of the US-proposed peace plan, which includes provisions for international support for reconstruction alongside an immediate ceasefire, release of captives, gradual Israeli withdrawal, and humanitarian aid access.

The ceasefire agreement, finalized early Thursday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, is based on a 20-point plan presented by US President Donald Trump. President Trump acknowledged the mediating countries' contributions, writing on his Truth Social platform: "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first phase of our Peace Plan. We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye, who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen." The deal emerged after intensive negotiations involving senior officials from Qatar, Türkiye, Egypt, and the United States.