ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday expressed his country's support for any plan to stop Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

"We fully support any project that will permanently stop the massacre and genocide that has been happening in Gaza for two years," he said in an address in the Black Sea city of Rize, where he has family roots.

Türkiye hopes the new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will lead to lasting peace, calm, and security in Gaza and other Palestinian territories, Erdogan added.

The president urged Israel to abide by the Gaza ceasefire deal it signed onto and to end its aggressive policies that threaten the region and safety of its people.

He also highlighted the support given to the negotiations by US President Donald Trump and the leaders of two "brotherly nations" to Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar.

“Let me say this clearly and openly,” he added. “Türkiye — and do not forget this — is much greater than Türkiye itself. Türkiye is not a country whose vision can be confined to its (area of) 783,000 square kilometers (486,533 miles). The reputation, power, influence, and weight of Türkiye’s word go far beyond its economy, population, and geography.”

"Our Palestinian brothers and sisters — especially Hamas — have shown a wise and determined attitude, indicating their readiness for peace. Other Muslim countries in the region also supported the negotiations,” he said.

“Thus, after two years of oppression, genocide, destruction, and brutality, for the first time, even if with a heavy heart, we are seeing smiles return to the faces in Gaza.”

"No matter what anyone says, every effort, every signature, every step that brings joy to the oppressed and the afflicted in Gaza is valuable to us," he stressed.

He also said: "A two-state solution is the key to lasting peace in our region. We believe that the two-state solution, with distinct and separate foundations, is the most beneficial path for all people in the region — Muslims, Christians, and Jewish people alike.”