A UN Security Council Resolution authorizing an international security force for Gaza hasn’t even been put on the table yet, but Türkiye is already finalizing plans for its contribution to the force. Sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye that a peacekeeping brigade, estimated to include at least 2,000 soldiers, has been drafting personnel from across the country in recent weeks.
Israel is stridently opposed to Turkish involvement in Gaza. “There will be no Turkish boots on the ground,” Prime Minister’s Office spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told reporters on Nov. 9 in response to a question.
The U.S. has a different view. Asked about Israel’s objections to Turkish forces in Gaza, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said at a security conference in Bahrain earlier in November that Ankara would participate. “The ceasefire in Gaza would not have happened without Türkiye,” Barrack said, adding that it “was actually Türkiye’s relationship with Hamas” that played a critical part in reaching the truce.
While tensions with Israel remain high, Türkiye reportedly played a role in returning Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin’s remains to Israel, 11 years after he was killed in Gaza, the MEE report continues. A senior Turkish official told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid that Ankara had facilitated the handover after intensive efforts, reflecting Hamas’s clear commitment to the ceasefire. The official also indicated that Ankara has been trying to broker a deal in return for the handover to ensure the safe passage of around 200 Hamas fighters currently trapped in tunnels in Gaza, which is under Israeli control.
