Turkish officials welcome Gaza cease-fire deal

ISTANBUL

Turkish officials welcomed a cease-fire deal announced Wednesday between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel.

Türkiye hopes the Gaza cease-fire deal will open the door to lasting peace and stability for “our Palestinian brothers, and sisters,” as well as for the region and all humanity, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on X.

Stressing in a phone call with Hamas officials that Türkiye will continue to support the Palestinian people, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan wished that the Gaza cease-fire deal would be beneficial for all.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said on X that the cease-fire in Gaza should be the beginning of the steps towards building a lasting peace.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also welcomed the cease-fire agreement, expressing hope for its implementation and sustainability.

“We will mobilize all our resources to ensure that Gaza rises again and that the humanitarian aid needed by the oppressed Palestinian people is delivered adequately and without interruption,” he said.

Ankara will continue to defend the Palestinian cause and stand by Palestinians “until a lasting political solution is achieved.”

“A fair two-state political solution is essential for the peace and prosperity of our region. The alliance of humanity showed by people from different countries and diverse identities throughout this process will never be forgotten,” he added.

Also welcoming the deal, Akif Cagatay Kilic, senior advisor to the Turkish president on foreign policy and security, underlined that the cease-fire is "very important" in legal and humanitarian aspects.

"We will continue our struggle to ensure that this decision is put into effect as soon as possible and that the Israeli government is held accountable for the massacres that have gone down in history as a black mark," Kilic wrote on X.

Türkiye's first lady Emine Erdogan said on X that true peace is only possible with justice.

"We will continue to walk together with the people of Gaza until lasting peace and stability are achieved, and we will heal the wounds together," she added.

Earlier, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced the success of mediators in reaching a cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip, noting that its implementation will begin this Sunday.