Ishaq Dar Joins Istanbul Talks on Gaza Peace Plan Amid Fragile Truce, as Turkey brings together key Muslim nations to shape Gaza’s post-war future and reinforce the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul on Monday to attend a high-level meeting hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, aimed at discussing the latest developments in Gaza and its long-term governance under the Gaza peace plan.
Turkey has invited top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia to participate in the talks, reflecting a united effort among Islamic nations to stabilize Gaza and support Palestinian self-rule. The meeting follows the October 10 ceasefire in the two-year-long Israel-Hamas war, brokered by US President Donald Trump, which remains under strain due to continued Israeli strikes and reports of Palestinian resistance.
Turkish officials indicated that Ankara will push for Palestinian control over Gaza’s security and administration, emphasizing that a sustainable peace must involve local governance. Over the weekend, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, reiterating that “a ceasefire alone is not enough — Gaza must be governed by the Palestinians.”
Earlier in the day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) session, asserting that Hamas appears committed to maintaining the truce, while accusing Israel of repeated violations. Erdogan urged Muslim countries to take a “leading role” in Gaza’s recovery and called for the immediate implementation of the Arab League and OIC-backed reconstruction plan announced in March.
Turkey has been one of Hamas’s strongest international backers since the October 7, 2023, attack that reignited the Gaza conflict. Fidan is expected to renew calls for Israel to open humanitarian corridors, as aid agencies continue to report limited access to Gaza’s famine-stricken areas.
Meanwhile, Israel has opposed Turkey’s inclusion in the proposed international peacekeeping force that would oversee the ceasefire under Trump’s stabilization framework. Ankara also claimed that its disaster relief team, sent to assist in recovering bodies from Gaza’s rubble — including Israeli hostages — remains barred at the border due to Israeli restrictions.
The Istanbul talks are seen as a critical moment for regional diplomacy, with Pakistan’s participation under Ishaq Dar reaffirming its consistent support for Palestinian self-determination and humanitarian relief in Gaza.
