The fragile cease-fire in Gaza must become permanent, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday, urging sustained international pressure to secure lasting peace and prevent further humanitarian suffering.
Speaking at the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Erdoğan said the continued violations in Gaza underscore the urgency of global engagement.
“The cease-fire, which continues despite Israel’s violations, is fragile,” he said. “Strong support from the international community for the process is essential and must continue.”
Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023, which have continued despite a cease-fire two months ago.
Erdoğan reiterated that Palestinians must take part in all stages of peace-building and said the ultimate objective remains a two-state solution.
He welcomed U.N. Security Council Resolution 2800 as a possible step toward reconstruction and long-term stability. “It is now time for the international community to repay its debt to the Palestinian people,” he said.
Turning to Türkiye’s broader regional efforts, Erdoğan said Ankara remains committed to promoting dialogue across conflict zones.
“As Türkiye, with the awareness of the responsibility imposed by our history, geography and civilization, we are working with all our might to ensure that peace and dialogue prevail,” he said.
Erdoğan said Türkiye continues to support diplomatic channels aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, calling for a return to negotiations.
Ankara, he said, is ready to assist any initiative that advances a cease-fire, including efforts connected to the Istanbul Process. “Our most sincere wish is for the war between our northern neighbors to end,” he said.
The forum was held in Ashgabat as part of the U.N.’s designation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Security and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.
Erdoğan said he was honored to attend the gathering, which he described as meaningful for both nations and for the wider region. He congratulated Turkmenistan on its development and reaffirmed the strong cultural and historical ties binding the two countries.
He praised Ashgabat’s long-standing neutral stance, which he said reflects principles rooted in their shared civilization. Erdoğan noted that Türkiye was among the first to recognize Turkmenistan’s independence and support its neutrality, and he highlighted ongoing cooperation in trade, energy, investment and defense. “Our hearts and our goals are one,” he said.
Erdoğan also emphasized Türkiye’s expanding role in global mediation, pointing to the Ankara Process, launched to ease tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia, as evidence that disputes can be resolved through dialogue.
He cited Türkiye’s co-chair roles in mediation groups at the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as well as its involvement in the Alliance of Civilizations initiative.
With the world facing its highest number of conflicts since World War II, Erdoğan said Turkmenistan’s preventive diplomacy and commitment to neutrality offer an important model.
“Peace is only possible with justice, and security only with mutual respect,” he said, quoting Turkmen poet Mahtumkulu Firaki’s call for a just and prosperous world.
Erdoğan closed his remarks by congratulating Turkmenistan on the anniversary of its neutrality and expressing hope for stronger cooperation and enduring peace in the region.
