President Erdogan pushes diplomatic peace efforts to end Israel-Palestine conflict

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been gearing up his diplomatic effort to de-escalate the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict by contacting many regional and world leaders.

With Israel's ongoing bombardment of besieged Gaza, the death toll in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has now exceeded 2,500, impacting hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians who reside in the area.

From regional actors to world leaders, Erdogan has made great diplomatic efforts to ease the tension.

Having disapproved of Israeli civilian casualties in Hamas attacks, President Erdogan has also warned Tel Aviv not to use excessive power against civilians in the besieged Gaza strip, calling Israel to let humanitarian assistance reach the city.

He has also reportedly ordered concerned institutions in Türkiye to try and get the Israelis held by Hamas released, a day after offering all kinds of mediation efforts to end the conflict.

Under Türkiye's effort to end the conflict and establish peace, President Erdogan had a phone call with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas.

During the conversation, recent developments between Israel and Palestine and the tension in the region were discussed.

President Erdogan also spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The call addressed the latest developments and the ongoing incidents in Israel and Palestine, said Türkiye's Communications Directorate in a statement.

Underscoring that any step that harms the people of Gaza as a whole will further increase the suffering and the spiral of violence in the region, Erdogan added that everyone should act with common sense and that immediate restoration of peace is of crucial importance for the overall serenity of the region.

Neighbouring countries: Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan

Erdogan also discussed the situation with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati during the early hours of the conflict. He told Mikati that Türkiye will continue to try and bring an end to the conflict in the region.

The situation along the border between Israel and Lebanon remains dangerous. The Israeli army on Monday confirmed hitting several targets in Lebanon with its combat helicopters, without giving further details.

Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah has announced that it targeted an Israeli military site with missiles near the southern border area of Dhayra. In a statement, the group affirmed its commitment to delivering a "decisive response" to Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

Along with Lebanon, Erdogan also spoke with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el Sisi regarding the deadly conflict.

In a phone call, the leaders exchanged views on the latest developments and possible steps to end the tension, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said.

Erdogan also spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II over possible steps that can be taken at both regional and global levels.

Arab world

On Tuesday, the Turkish president called on all influential actors in the region to make a serious push for peace in the Middle East.

"We call on all influential actors in the region to assume responsibility for establishing peace, acting on the principle that 'there are no losers in a just peace'," Erdogan told a news conference with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in the capital Ankara.

He said any step that could escalate tension, cause more bloodshed, or exacerbate the problems in the region, must be avoided.

"Adding fuel to the fire, targeting civilians and civilian settlements in particular will benefit no one," he added.

Erdogan had a phone call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, exchanging views on the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Communications Directorate said.

He has also discussed the latest developments with his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Erdogan and Tebboune discussed the worrying process of recent events on Wednesday, marked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the Communications Directorate.

Pointing to Türkiye's "sincere and peaceful efforts," the Turkish leader said support from the international community, particularly from regional countries, was also expected.

In a separate phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Erdogan said Türkiye was working to deliver aid to innocent civilians affected by the ongoing attacks.

He underlined that the bombing of civilian settlements was unacceptable, emphasising the importance of constructive messages from regional countries to end the fighting.

World leaders

In another phone call, President Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres exchanged views on what could be done to deliver humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians in the region through Türkiye's mediation efforts, the Communication Directorate said, in a statement on Tuesday.

Warning that disproportionate attacks could at best lead to a further stalemate, Erdogan told Guterres that it is very important for the parties to act with restraint and avoid impulsive steps.

The UN chief said he feared the number of displaced Palestinians in Gaza would rise, amid continuing Israeli attacks and Hamas rocket fire.

In a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leaders also evaluated what initiatives could be taken to meet humanitarian needs in the region.

Erdogan told Putin that targeting civilian settlements is worrying and that Türkiye does not welcome such initiatives.

He also said that Türkiye will continue to make every effort to ensure calm in the region.

In another phone call on Thursday, Erdogan told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Türkiye stands ready to take peaceful steps towards ending the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian clashes as soon as possible, including mediation.

President Erdogan emphasised that the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem within the 1967 borders would be crucial for a lasting solution to the issue, according to the statement.

Erdogan also talked with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the recent conflict.