Amid rising fears about the Gaza ceasefire, foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and five other Arab nations will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the latest developments,Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Friday.
Israel launched a wave of airstrikes inside Gaza earlier this week, killing more than 100 people, after Hamas launched an attack against Israeli soldiers in Rafah, killing one. Israel has also accused Hamas of violating the truce for failing to hand over all hostage remains as stipulated in Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
The same group of eight countries, which also includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Indonesia and Pakistan, met with US President Donald Trump in New York in September ahead of his unveiling of the plan, which laid the groundwork for the current ceasefire process.
“We will assess the stage we have reached in the ceasefire process and discuss what we can do together in the next phase,” Fidan said.
He added that the summit would also address “how to coordinate with our Western partners in the next phase.”
Turkey, along with Egypt and Qatar, helped broker the ceasefire deal signed during Trump’s visit to Egypt on Oct. 13, which paused the war between Israel and Hamas just as it entered its third year.
Why it matters: The upcoming Istanbul summit showcases regional powers’ bid to sustain the fragile ceasefire momentum achieved during Trump’s peace summit amid fears of renewed instability in the enclave. Further fueling concerns are Washington-led efforts to move toward the second phase of the ceasefire plan, a complex stage that involves Hamas’ demilitarization, Israel’s full withdrawal from the Strip and deployment of a multinational stabilization force — all paving the way for a transitional governing authority in Gaza.
It also reflects Ankara’s drive to remain a visible player at the forefront of the ceasefire process, a role Erdogan has been eager to fill as the Palestinian cause continues to resonate strongly with his domestic base. As ties with Turkey have reached a nadir amid the war, Israel is resisting further Turkish participation even as Washington reportedly pushes for Ankara to play a significant role.
Background: Ankara readied an 80-member crew to assist in recovering the hostage bodies, but Israel has so far denied the Turkish crew’s entry into Gaza, according to Turkish officials.
Israeli officials also remain wary of Turkey’s potential role in the new US-run coordination center in Kiryat Gat, which monitors implementation of the ceasefire, due to Ankara’s vocal support for Hamas.
Unlike other NATO members, Turkey doesn’t recognize Hamas a terrorist organization and accuses the Jewish state of conducting a genocide in the Palestinian enclave.
“Countries that want or are ready to send armed forces should be at least fair to Israel,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said earlier this week in reference to the possibility of Turkish troops dispatching to Gaza for the implementation of the ceasefire.