Erdogan says Israel ‘must be forced’ to abide by ceasefire through sanctions, arms embargo
Recent reports indicate concerns within the US government that Tel Aviv may be looking to torpedo the Gaza agreement
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the US to put more pressure on Israel to abide by the ceasefire in Gaza, while proposing the idea of sanctions or an arms embargo on Tel Aviv.
Erdogan made the comments on a return flight from Oman. According to an official readout, the Turkish president said Hamas was abiding by the deal.
“As Turkiye, we are doing our utmost for the ceasefire to be secured. The Hamas side is abiding by the ceasefire. In fact, it is openly stating its commitment to this. Israel, meanwhile, is continuing to violate the ceasefire,” the president told reporters.
“The international community, namely the US, must do more to ensure Israel’s full compliance with the ceasefire and agreement. Israel must be forced to keep its promises via sanctions, or halting of arms sales,” Erdogan added.
Ankara has been highly vocal about the Israeli genocide in Gaza. However, Turkiye has secretly maintained trade ties with Israel despite a ban announced by the country last year.
Turkish citizens have also been among those at the forefront of global, pro-Palestine protest movements.
The Turkish government has recently played a role in mediation and is seeking involvement in post-war efforts. Turkiye is said to be part of an international team of specialists tasked with helping to locate dead Israeli captives.
Qatar and Turkiye have long provided Hamas with political support, hosting the resistance movement’s offices in Doha and Istanbul. According to Israeli media, Tel Aviv is opposed to the continued role of both Qatar and Turkiye, which it fears could help bolster Hamas’s presence in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any Turkish or Qatari involvement in Gaza’s postwar administration, calling such participation a “red line,” Israel Hayom reported on 21 October.
Erdogan’s comments came after a meeting of several Palestinian factions in Egypt on Thursday.
During the meeting, senior Hamas official Hussam Badran affirmed the group’s “serious commitment” to the ceasefire agreement.
He also stressed the importance of “reaching a Palestinian national consensus to form a technocratic committee to manage Palestinian affairs.”
“No Palestinian faction can meet the needs of Palestinians alone,” he said.
On Sunday, Israel assassinated several top leaders in Hamas’s armed wing in a series of brutal strikes that also killed dozens of civilians.
Israel has also violated the deal by severely restricting the entry of aid into Gaza.
According to a recent New York Times (NYT) report from this week, “there is concern within the [US] administration that Mr. Netanyahu may vacate the deal.”