Türkiye urges immediate Gaza ceasefire, 2-state solution

ISTANBUL

Türkiye ​​​​​​​on Sunday called for an immediate end to Israeli military operations in Gaza and emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian access.

During a high-level meeting of the Madrid Group, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz stressed "the necessity of the cessation of the Israeli aggression in Gaza and the unhindered flow of urgent humanitarian aid," according to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry released on X.

Yilmaz also underscored the "importance of increased international cooperation to implement the two-state solution."

The ministry added that the extended session of the Madrid Group — a diplomatic initiative focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — was hosted by Spain in Madrid and included representatives from the OIC-Arab League Gaza Contact Group, as well as Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Slovenia. The latter four nations formally recognized the state of Palestine in 2024.

The meeting comes amid continued international pressure on Israel to halt its months-long military campaign in Gaza and as support for Palestinian statehood gains renewed momentum across parts of Europe.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.