ISTANBUL

The international community has a great responsibility to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the region as soon as possible, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Erdogan's remarks came during a trilateral summit in Istanbul with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister of Libya's National Unity Government Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said in a statement on X.

Stressing Israel's aggression and the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, Erdogan said the only lasting solution is the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and geographically integrated State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders.

Cooperation between the countries and regional issues were discussed at the summit, the statement also said.

The Turkish president highlighted the importance of cooperation between the three countries in addressing the challenges faced by the Mediterranean region, including irregular migration movements.

He added that long-term and sustainable solutions, as well as multilateral coordination, are needed to eradicate the source of irregular migration.

It was decided during the summit that the leaders would meet to discuss the decisions taken following the convening of the cooperation committees, the statement noted.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

- Libya's National Unity Government seeks support for joint strategic projects

Libya's Government of National Unity also issued a statement after the summit, stating that the talks addressed regional cooperation, stability, and economic integration in the Mediterranean, emphasizing the importance of supporting joint strategic projects.

The statement noted that economic cooperation opportunities were also discussed at the summit.

It emphasized the importance of connecting Libya to regional projects in the Mediterranean, as well as strengthening partnerships in energy, oil and gas, and infrastructure; investing in ports; developing electricity networks; and supporting joint strategic projects.

Noting Dbeibeh's call for increased regional coordination in combating smuggling networks and illegal activities at the summit, the statement said the Libyan premier also urged a quadripartite ministerial meeting consisting of Libya, Türkiye, Italy, and Qatar to initiate joint projects in this regard and to combine efforts on priority issues.