ANKARA

It is “very important” that Gaza remains the land of the Palestinian people, and they ultimately govern the enclave, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

Speaking to journalists on his way back from Azerbaijan, where he attended a summit of the Organization of Turkic States, Erdogan said that during his recent visit to the US and in a phone call with President Donald Trump, he explained how a solution could be achieved in Palestine.

On the US president's Gaza ceasefire plan, Erdogan said “Trump specifically asked us to talk to Hamas and persuade them, and we promptly got in touch with our interlocutor​​​​​​​s on this matter.”

“Hamas told us in its response that it is ready for peace and negotiations. In my view, this is a very valuable step,” he added.

Commenting on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was attacked by Israel last week, Erdogan said Türkiye closely monitored the process with unmanned aerial vehicles and ships. The president said he personally monitored the aid mission's movements through Akinci drone footage.

Erdogan argued that security in Gaza and establishment of a stabilization force can be evaluated, and that he attaches great importance to the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh.

Turning to Syria, the Turkish president said, “the Syrian Democratic Forces must keep their promise and complete their integration with Syria.”

The “Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance is key to lasting peace and tranquility in the region,” he added.