At the NATO summit held in The Hague, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Iran and urged an immediate truce in Gaza to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Erdogan welcomed the recent de-escalation between Israel and Iran but emphasized the need for it to transition into a lasting peace. He also highlighted the ongoing suffering in Gaza, calling the situation disastrous after two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Turkey, a NATO member, has consistently criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, labeling them as “state terrorism” and warning they could spark a broader regional conflict, especially given Turkey’s long border with Iran.
During separate meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Erdogan underscored that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must not be sidelined amid rising geopolitical tensions.
He also reiterated that peace between Tehran and Washington should come through diplomacy. In a press conference, Erdogan credited U.S. President Donald Trump for helping to mediate the recent ceasefire and called on all parties to honor the agreement unconditionally.