Türkiye ready to help achieve Gaza ceasefire — Erdogan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to supporting efforts to halt the violence in Gaza and secure a lasting ceasefire following months of brutal Israeli war.

Speaking at the AK Party's parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday, Erdogan welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon, which took effect at 4 AM local time (0200 GMT) earlier in the day.

He also condemned the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza, emphasising Türkiye's readiness to "contribute in every way" to end the crisis.

The Lebanon truce, facilitated through US and French diplomatic efforts, marks a significant development amid escalating tensions.

Erdogan's appeal underscores international concerns about the humanitarian toll of the Israeli war as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a resolution.

Since launching a brutal war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Erdogan stressed the need for all parties, particularly Israel, to uphold their obligations to ensure regional stability.

Israel launched massive air strikes across Lebanon in late September, targeting what it described as Hezbollah positions, which was followed by a ground invasion on October 1.

Türkiye 'ready to support peace' in Lebanon

Earlier in the day, the Turkish foreign ministry announced Türkiye’s readiness to give Lebanon the "necessary support for the establishment of internal peace" hours after a ceasefire with Israel came into force.

Türkiye has become an outspoken critic of Israel over its aggression against Palestine and neighbouring countries, and it called on Israel to pay for the damage caused in Lebanon.

The foreign ministry hailed the halt in fighting that has killed thousands in Lebanon and said it hoped the ceasefire "will be permanent".

The international community must "exert pressure on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire and to provide reparations for the damages it has caused," the ministry added.

The ministry also insisted that for "regional peace and stability, a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire must be declared in Gaza as soon as possible and Israel must cease its aggressive policies."