Erdoğan: Board of Peace must protect Gaza

Speaking to local journalists, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced support for the Gaza Board of Peace initiative, stating that its work - beginning Thursday, February 19 - should contribute to regional stability and, ultimately, the peace in the Middle East.

"In my opinion, the Gaza issue is a test of humanity's conscience. (…) The suffering our Palestinian brothers and sisters went through should end",

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.

In a conversation with the media, the Turkish President outlined several conditions necessary for the Board of Peace to achieve meaningful results:

• making the temporary ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas permanent;
• ensuring unimpeded humanitarian aid deliveries to the enclave;
• making progress toward a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue.

Erdoğan affirmed that Ankara would back any initiatives benefiting the people of Gaza and expressed hope that the newly formed structure would actively work toward these objectives.

The President also confirmed that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would represent Türkiye at the upcoming Board of Peace meeting, as previously announced.