Turkey is finalising its preparations to deploy a military brigade as part of a proposed international stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip, according to a report by Middle East Eye. The move comes amid ongoing negotiations with Washington and Tel Aviv and growing Israeli opposition to any Turkish presence on the ground.
Citing informed sources, Middle East Eye revealed that the Turkish government is putting the finishing touches on a plan to deploy several hundred troops in Gaza under an international peacekeeping mandate. The proposed brigade—expected to include at least 2,000 soldiers—has already begun recruiting personnel from across Turkey, drawing from multiple branches of the armed forces, particularly those with experience in peacekeeping missions and conflict zones.
The Gaza “peace plan,” brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, reportedly designates Turkey as one of the key nations tasked with controlling significant areas of Gaza following the defeat of Hamas. However, the Israeli occupation government has firmly opposed this idea, while Washington has yet to reach a final decision. The UN Security Council has also not issued any formal authorisation for the mission.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Pedrosyan told reporters on Sunday, “There will be no Turkish troops on the ground.” Turkish officials, however, interpret Israel’s stance as stemming from Tel Aviv’s reluctance to accept the presence of a strong NATO member operating under a UN mandate—one that has not yet been officially approved.
Ankara, for its part, is seeking a direct role in Gaza’s post-war reconstruction and security arrangements, particularly through supporting the ceasefire and humanitarian recovery under UN supervision. In a symbolic move, Turkey recently facilitated the return of the remains of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin—killed in Gaza 11 years ago—after intense mediation efforts. Turkish officials said the handover reflects Hamas’s commitment to the ceasefire and underscores Ankara’s unique ability to mediate between conflicting sides.
A senior Turkish official told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid that Ankara is now trying to broker safe passage for about 200 Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels in Gaza, currently under Israeli control. Meanwhile, around 1,000 Turkish ground troops have already volunteered to join the proposed Gaza mission, with additional units expected from the army’s engineering, logistics, and explosive ordnance disposal divisions. It remains unclear whether naval forces will be included in what is expected to be a multinational joint task force.
“This will be a coordinated international effort, not a unilateral deployment,” one Turkish official stressed, adding that Ankara’s participation would help stabilise Gaza and prevent future escalation. Another official noted that “Turkey’s presence will ensure balance and credibility on the ground.”
The final decision regarding the mission’s scope and mandate will be made following consultations between the United Nations and regional actors in the coming weeks. A Turkish source familiar with the matter stated that “Israel wants the Gaza stabilisation force structured in a way that allows it to undermine its influence and reverse peace efforts whenever it wishes.”
Trump’s 20-point peace plan calls for a multinational mission tasked with enforcing the ceasefire, overseeing reconstruction, and disarming Gaza—a clause that has raised alarm among Arab and Muslim nations. Documents seen by Middle East Eye indicate that a draft UN resolution would grant the force the authority to “disarm Hamas by force if necessary.” This has drawn sharp criticism from Ankara, which accused Washington of outsourcing Israeli security to regional forces.
Turkey insists that the mission’s focus should remain on border control, reconstruction, and humanitarian recovery, not on militarised enforcement. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated that Ankara’s participation depends on a UN Security Council mandate clearly defining the mission’s limits, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed his readiness to send troops “if required,” emphasising alongside Egypt that neither nation will accept any formulation that could draw their forces into confrontation with Hamas.
President Trump has reaffirmed his plan, calling the international force “the key to lasting peace,” and pledging to secure UN approval “very soon.” He also announced that he would personally chair a Peace Council overseeing the mission—a move that diplomats say would grant Washington unprecedented control over the process.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that a new U.S.-led coordination centre, tasked with implementing Trump’s Gaza peace plan, has effectively replaced Israel as the main authority overseeing humanitarian aid in the enclave.
This development highlights the emerging geopolitical realignment around Gaza: an uneasy triangle of U.S. management, Israeli resistance, and Turkish ambition—all converging on a devastated land whose people continue to live under siege. For the Muslim world, Ankara’s involvement signals both an opportunity for moral re-engagement with Gaza’s fate and a test of whether international “peacekeeping” will serve justice or merely repackage occupation under a new flag.
