Trump highlights strong ties with Turkish president amid Gaza peacekeeping talks

US President Donald Trump emphasised his strong relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while discussing regional issues, including the Gaza peacekeeping mission.

The American leader stressed that he considers the deployment of Turkish troops in the Gaza Strip as part of a peacekeeping observation mission to be appropriate, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“I have a great relationship with President Erdogan, and we’ll be talking about it. And if it’s good, I think that’s good,” Trump stated, commenting on the possibility of Turkish troops being deployed in Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in his 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan.

After a prolonged Gaza war that began in October 2023, the United States brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in late‑2025 and outlined a broader Gaza peace plan that includes establishing a multinational International Stabilization Force (ISF) to help secure Gaza, support demilitarisation, train new Palestinian police, and oversee reconstruction and security transitions. 

Since October 2023, the offensive has killed over 71,200 Palestinians and injured more than 171,200.

The first phase of the ceasefire halted the fighting, included a partial Israeli withdrawal, secured the exchange of all Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—for the release of hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel, and allowed “full humanitarian aid” into Gaza.

The second phase, as laid out in Trump’s 20-point peace plan, calls for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, disarmament of Hamas, deployment of the ISF, and the creation of a Palestinian “technocratic” committee to temporarily govern Gaza. Israel, however, opposes Turkish troop involvement in the ISF.

By Jeyhun Aghazada