Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday that Türkiye is ready to provide assistance in training Gaza’s new police force as part of efforts to revive the enclave’s local administration, stressing that restoring core governance and security structures is essential for stabilizing Gaza and providing vital services to Palestinians.
Speaking to reporters in Washington after attending the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace on behalf of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Fidan said the priority in the second phase of the Gaza peace plan is to re-establish functional local governance capable of providing health, education, policing and essential services to the enclave’s population.
Fidan said the creation and training of a new police force for Gaza is underway to ensure local security and public order.
“This is essential for any functioning administration,” he said. Fidan reiterated that Türkiye is ready to contribute to security arrangements if requested.
The newly appointed U.S. high representative for Gaza said Thursday that recruitment has begun for a transitional police force intended to assume security responsibilities from Hamas, with more than 2,000 applicants submitting forms within hours.
“Gaza needs a local administration that can stand on its feet and deliver services to 2 million people,” Fidan said, emphasizing that reconstruction and stabilization cannot succeed without rebuilding administrative capacity. He noted that the meeting served as a platform for member states to declare their contributions and coordinate efforts.
Fidan underscored that Türkiye has been providing uninterrupted humanitarian assistance since the first day of Israel's genocidal attacks – through both state institutions and civil society – and will continue doing so. He said Ankara is in talks to increase the flow of supplies through the Rafah crossing, including container-based aid shipments to replace tents, and is working on expanding medical support ranging from field treatment to transferring wounded Palestinians to Türkiye.
Fidan also highlighted the broader diplomatic context, noting resumed contact between the United States and Iran. The process that began in Istanbul has brought Americans and Iranians back into dialogue, he said. He noted that there was reason for hope, amid fears of increased military activitiy. "Our wish is that a negotiated path is reached without the need for war,” he added.
