NATO Chief Rutte Thanks Türkiye for Key Role in Gaza Ceasefire

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has expressed gratitude to Türkiye and other key nations for their instrumental role in securing the Gaza ceasefire during his address at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Slovenia. Rutte specifically acknowledged Türkiye's diplomatic efforts alongside the United States, Egypt, and Qatar in achieving what he described as a significant peace milestone.

Responding to a question from Mevlut Cavusoglu, head of the Turkish delegation, Rutte stated: "I want to thank you. And through you, Türkiye, but also of course the US, Egypt and Qatar, for the fact that the ceasefire is now taking place." He specifically recognized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his team for "working very hard on this together with the US, Egypt and Qatar."

The NATO chief characterized the Gaza truce as "an enormous step" that should inspire similar determination to resolve other conflicts. "One that hopefully inspires us in Europe and with the US to do everything to also end the war in Ukraine," Rutte added, drawing parallels between the diplomatic successes in the Middle East and ongoing efforts in Eastern Europe.

Rutte noted the alliance's careful positioning regarding the Gaza conflict, acknowledging that "NATO members hold various perspectives when it comes to the situation in the Middle East, particularly regarding Israel and Gaza." He explained that while the region falls outside NATO's primary Euro-Atlantic focus, the alliance monitors developments closely, especially given their impact on NATO's training mission in Iraq where Türkiye plays a significant role.

The recognition comes following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that took effect Friday. The initial phase involves prisoner exchanges and Israeli military withdrawals, with subsequent phases envisioning new governance arrangements for Gaza and disarmament of Hamas.