Erdogan: Ceasefire Will Not Solve Palestinian Problems

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan/PHOTO via Instagram @rterdogan

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that the Gaza ceasefire deal signed in Egypt would not resolve Palestinian issues.

"It would be wrong to consider this agreement as a document that can solve the Palestinian issue. Actually, this is just a ceasefire," Erdogan told reporters, Tuesday, October 14, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Tuesday, October 14.

"In our opinion, the only solution to the Palestinian problem is the formation of an independent, sovereign, geographically integrated Palestinian state within the 1967 limits with East Jerusalem as its capital," he continued.

Erdogan signed a ceasefire agreement with United States President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi, and Emir Qatari Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at a summit in Egypt on Monday (13/10).

Erdogan said the deal must be fully implemented and the United States must continue to pressure Israel to carry out its obligations in accordance with the agreement.

"The exchange of hostages and detainees is an important step towards the implementation of the agreement," he said.

Erdogan promised Ankara would continue to work seriously to advance the two-state solution.

First of all, it is necessary to ensure the fulfillment of the promises made by the Israeli government. However, Israel's reputation on this issue is very bad. I believe influential actors, especially the US, will continue to take the necessary steps in this direction, "said Erdogan.

On Monday (13/10), the Palestinian Hamas movement released the remaining 20 hostages who have been detained in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, as part of an agreement with Israel.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office confirmed Israel had released 1,718 Palestinian prisoners detained in Gaza and 250 other prisoners serving prison terms in the occupied West Bank of Israel, Jerusalem and abroad.

Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan was announced on September 29. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, on the condition that the hostages are released within 72 hours.

The document also proposes that Hamas or other Palestinian armed factions have no role in the Gaza Strip government and that the management of the region is left to the technocratic committee overseen by the international body led by Trump.