President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye stated, “The greatest obstacle to peace in Gaza is the zionist regime’s continued attacks, despite President Trump’s explicit calls.”
“If Israel truly wants peace, it must immediately halt its attacks," said Erdoğan, adding: "The ceasefire talks in Egypt are of great importance, and we hope to receive good news. Trump asked Türkiye to speak with Hamas and convince them, and we support Trump’s peace efforts. Türkiye is in contact with Hamas and is explaining to them what the right path is for the future of Palestine.”
Speaking about his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump after his visit to the United Nations, Erdoğan said, “All Palestinians know that Türkiye protects and defends the interests of Palestine. We defend the rights of the oppressed in Gaza and our brothers and sisters in other parts of Palestine as if we were defending our own.”
Erdoğan stressed, “For years, we have been striving to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and ensure the security of the oppressed. Throughout this process, we have maintained constant contact with Hamas, and these contacts continue to this day. We are explaining the most logical path forward for Palestine and the necessary steps to take. Our colleagues are currently in Sharm El Sheikh and will begin talks there.”
Erdoğan continued, “During our visit to the United States and in our recent phone call, we explained to President Trump how a solution could be reached in Palestine. He specifically asked us to speak with Hamas and persuade them on this issue. We immediately reached out to our counterparts. I told President Trump that we support his peace efforts.”
The Turkish President added, “In response, Hamas stated that they are ready for peace and negotiations, and I believe this is a highly valuable step. We will work to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two-state solution. Our hope is that, God willing, we will achieve this goal.”
In response to a question from a journalist regarding the F-35 fighter jets and sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), Erdoğan said, “There is cooperation between Türkiye and the United States in all areas, including defence. We are conducting discussions with the U.S. to further develop these relations. During my meeting with President Trump, we received positive feedback on this matter. We addressed the F-35 issue explicitly. Türkiye is a partner in this programme, has paid its share, and has fulfilled its commitments. There is no legitimate basis for our removal from this programme.”
Addressing the Syria issue, Erdoğan stated, “Türkiye has taken a clear stance on this matter and will never allow this country to descend back into instability. Türkiye is closely monitoring all developments on the ground. Our patient, cautious and determined position should not be perceived as a sign of weakness. No one should fall into the trap of false assumptions. The Syrian Democratic Forces must fulfil their promises and complete their integration with Syria.”
“The territorial integrity of Syria is essential for us, and we cannot accept any attitudes contrary to this,” concluded Erdoğan.