Erdogan says Turkey can give Gaza ‘any form of support’ amid talks over multinational force

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country can give “any form of support” to Gaza, as discussions continue over the makeup of an international force meant, under the terms of the recent ceasefire, to oversee security in the territory after an IDF withdrawal.

Ankara has said that it would join a “task force” to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire, that its armed forces could serve in a military or civilian capacity as needed, and that it will play an active role in the reconstruction of the enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday at his opposition to any role for Turkish security forces in the Gaza Strip. Relations between the two countries have collapsed amid the war in Gaza, as Erdogan has praised Hamas and accused Israel of “genocide,” a charge it adamantly denies.

Asked about Netanyahu’s comments, Erdogan refrains from his usual criticism of the Israeli leader and appears to soften his earlier commitment to taking a role on the field in Gaza, saying talks on the issue were still underway.

“Talks are continuing on the task force that will work in Gaza. The modalities of this are not yet clear. As this is a multi-faceted issue, there are comprehensive negotiations. We are ready to provide Gaza any form of support on this issue,” he says.

He also reiterates a previous call for Gulf countries to now take action on financing efforts to rebuild Gaza, saying nobody could single-handedly complete this task.