Turkey, Qatar Step Up Joint Mediation Efforts to Sustain Fragile Gaza Ceasefire
Turkey and Qatar have intensified diplomatic and intelligence coordination to safeguard the fragile Gaza ceasefire, with both nations’ leaders and senior officials meeting in Doha to prevent renewed hostilities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday, following a high-level session between Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Hamas representatives the previous night.
According to Turkish officials, the meetings aimed to sustain the truce and explore Gaza’s post-war governance structure, though “no concrete decisions” have been reached.
“These issues will depend on how Israel and the United States position themselves during the process,” a Turkish official told AFP.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry released a photo of Kalin and Fidan with the Hamas delegation led by Mohammed Darwish, who reaffirmed the group’s commitment “to a complete ceasefire despite repeated enemy violations.”
Palestinian political analyst Ahmad al-Heela said Ankara and Doha’s joint mediation “will be crucial to maintaining the ceasefire and shaping Gaza’s future,” citing their relationships with both Hamas and Washington.
“However, Qatar and Turkey face the challenge of persuading the US administration that Palestinians must have a voice in Gaza’s future — a step toward a two-state solution,” he added.
Erdoğan told Sheikh Tamim that the truce had provided much-needed relief to Palestinians but reiterated that “a two-state solution remains the only viable path to ending the conflict,” according to a statement from his office.
Turkey, which has increased its role in Gaza mediation efforts, has expressed readiness to join an international task force to stabilize the territory. A Turkish diplomatic source confirmed that the proposed force “is expected to have a military component,” though talks are still ongoing over its composition and participating countries.
Eighty-one Turkish disaster response specialists are also stationed near Egypt’s border with Gaza, awaiting Israeli clearance to enter and assist in recovering Palestinian and Israeli remains, including those believed to be under collapsed structures.
Security analyst Andreas Krieg of King’s College London said a Turkish presence would strengthen international peace efforts. “This is just a ceasefire that needs to be translated into a peace deal in the next step. Turkish boots on the ground will be important to move towards a multinational security force in Gaza,” he said.
Beyond the Gaza discussions, Erdoğan and Sheikh Tamim also signed several bilateral agreements, including a defence industry cooperation pact. Turkish security sources revealed that Ankara is seeking to acquire up to a dozen Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar once Doha’s new aircraft arrive, likely by early 2026.
“The details of the defence industry cooperation agreement will be clarified in the coming days,” a Turkish official added.
