Turkey to Push for Palestinian Control of Gaza at Istanbul Meeting

ISTANBUL, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to call for immediate arrangements to ensure that Palestinians secure and administer Gaza during a meeting in Istanbul on Monday, a source in the foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Fidan will be joined by foreign ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia to discuss recent ceasefire developments and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The source indicated that Fidan plans to stress the importance of coordinated action by Muslim countries to ensure the ceasefire evolves into lasting peace. This meeting follows a gathering in New York last September related to the U.N. General Assembly.

The U.S.-brokered ceasefire, in effect since October 10, has faced challenges, including unresolved issues regarding the disarmament of Hamas and the timeline for Israeli withdrawal. The ceasefire has seen intermittent violence, raising concerns among participants.

Fidan is expected to criticize Israel for “making excuses” to end the ceasefire and will call for the international community to respond firmly to Israel’s actions. Additionally, he plans to highlight the insufficiency of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and underscore Israel’s failure to meet its obligations.

Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated during the ongoing Gaza crisis, with President Tayyip Erdogan openly condemning Israel’s military actions in the region. Turkey was instrumental in persuading Hamas to accept Trump’s peace plan and has shown willingness to monitor ceasefire efforts.

However, Israel has stated it will not allow Turkish armed forces to enter Gaza as part of the U.S. plan aimed at concluding the conflict.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Hamas handed over the bodies of three hostages on Sunday, while continuing to exchange blame with Israel over ceasefire violations. The Israeli military confirmed that the remains, transferred via the Red Cross, would be taken to Israel for identification.

The bodies are expected to belong to three of the eleven hostages Israel has sought from Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire. Previous reports indicated Hamas had been slow in delivering these remains.

Earlier on the same day, an Israeli airstrike killed a man in northern Gaza. The Israeli military stated it targeted a militant posing a threat. Hamas publicly denied it had violated the truce.

The ceasefire has brought noticeable relief, allowing many Palestinians to return to devastated homes. Despite the ceasefire, tensions persist, with reports indicating that Palestinian health authorities have recorded nearly 236 casualties from Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began.

General Dan Caine, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held discussions with Israel’s military chief regarding the situation in Gaza, emphasizing that any Israeli military actions are reported back to Washington.

As efforts toward peace continue, significant challenges remain, including Hamas’s disarmament and a clear timeline for Israeli withdrawal from the territory.