Turkey readjusts Gaza message |
Greetings from Ankara.
With no snow on the ground and no pause in the headlines, this week in Turkey was anything but quiet.
This week’s edition takes a look at how Ankara is recalibrating its messaging on a proposed Gaza stabilization force amid Israeli objections alongside a roundup of the week’s top stories.
Here’s to hoping the weekend brings snow, or at least a little rain 🌨️☔
Ezgi (Follow me on X: @ezgi_akin)
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Leading this week
A woman walks past temporary classroom units at the UDEF Education Campus in Gaza City, Gaza on Dec. 9, 2025. — Saeed Jaras / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images
Turkey has softened its public messaging on a proposed international stabilization force for Gaza, signaling new flexibility as it seeks to navigate Israeli objections to potential Turkish troop involvement.
On Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan downplayed questions of leadership and composition of a proposed force for the Palestinian enclave under US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, suggesting they were not Turkey’s main priority.
“We’re ready to participate in the ISF. The Israelis are objecting openly,” Fidan told TRT World in an exclusive interview. “But for us, to be honest … whoever is doing this, it’s a secondary question.”
He added that Ankara’s priority was implementation of the ceasefire plan and stabilizing conditions on the ground.
The ISF is a proposed multinational force that would oversee Israel’s phased withdrawal from Gaza and train vetted Palestinian police officers. Turkey, which played a direct role in efforts to persuade Hamas to accept Trump’s ceasefire plan, has repeatedly signaled eagerness to take part in the force.
Israel, in turn, has strongly opposed Turkish involvement amid the tensions between the two Mediterranean powers over the Palestinian conflict.
Earlier this month, Fidan portrayed Ankara’s potential role as a political anchor for other Muslim-majority contributors, arguing that Turkey’s involvement could lend public legitimacy to deployments that might otherwise face domestic backlash.
“They know we can play a leading role and make it easier for them in terms of public support,” he said on Dec. 6, speaking on the........