Erdogan Hails Sharm el-Sheikh Summit Declaration as Milestone Toward Lasting Peace in Gaza
Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that the quadripartite declaration signed at the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit on Gaza could mark a “new milestone” on the road to achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
Speaking at an event of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Ankara, President Erdogan emphasized that steps for the reconstruction of Gaza would be determined and implemented in coordination with the United States and Gulf countries, underscoring Türkiye’s continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian people.
Erdogan’s remarks came a day after the high-level peace summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted more than 20 world leaders to witness the signing of a comprehensive Gaza ceasefire agreement that formally ended the war.
The summit ceremony began with the arrival of participating heads of state and government, followed by opening remarks delivered by President Trump. The declaration was officially signed by President Erdogan, President Trump, President Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, representing a unified regional and international effort to solidify peace and reconstruction in Gaza.
In a significant development preceding the summit, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip, while Israel began releasing Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement’s initial humanitarian provisions.
President Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s position that peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through justice, reconstruction, and the protection of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
