Erdogan: Israel must be forced to uphold ceasefire
Shafaq News – Ankara
On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the United States to pressure Israel to honor the Gaza ceasefire, saying Hamas was complying with its terms.
Speaking to reporters, Erdogan said that “through sanctions and halting arms sales, Israel must be forced to keep its promises.”
Earlier, he accused Israel of pursuing “a terrorist mentality that thrives on blood and disorder,” adding that repeated references by Israeli officials to “Greater Israel” reflected intentions to expand aggression to neighboring states.
Read more: Greater Israel: Mythical dream or looming threat?
Dubi Amitai, head of Israel’s Business Sector Authority, had claimed that senior executives from several Turkish companies had recently reached out to explore restoring economic ties with Israel.
The ceasefire marks the first stage of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which calls for Israeli forces to pull back inside Gaza, the return of hostages, and the release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Later phases require Hamas to disarm and cede control of the enclave.
Hamas said Israel had repeatedly broken the ceasefire with airstrikes and ground fire in Gaza, disrupting relief operations and delaying the return of hostage bodies. Israel countered that Hamas violated the truce by shooting at its troops and obstructing the transfer process.
