Erdogan Claims Trump Sought Turkish Role in Gaza Peace

AFP/APP

Istanbul: US President Donald Trump asked Turkey to “persuade” Hamas to accept his plan for ending the Gaza war, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a transcript shared by his office on Wednesday.

His remarks came as negotiators from Israel and Hamas were due to hold a third day of indirect talks in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, aimed at halting the two-year Gaza conflict, with senior officials from Qatar, Turkey, and the United States also participating.

“Both during our visit to the United States and in our most recent phone call, we explained to Mr. Trump how a solution could be achieved in Palestine. He specifically requested that we meet with Hamas and persuade them,” Erdogan told Turkish journalists late Tuesday on board a plane returning from Azerbaijan.

A vocal advocate of the Palestinian cause, Erdogan—who maintains close ties with Hamas—has often accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, a charge Israel repeatedly denies.

The indirect negotiations are centered on a 20-point peace plan proposed by Trump last month, with a Turkish delegation led by intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joining the discussions on Wednesday.

“Hamas responded by telling us that it is ready for peace and negotiations. In other words, it did not take a contrary stance. I consider this a very valuable step. Hamas is ahead of Israel,” Erdogan added.

He confirmed that Turkish officials are currently in Sharm El-Sheikh to continue engagement in the peace efforts.