Turkey was not invited to a US-led military conference in Doha on Tuesday focused on plans for a postwar stabilization force in Gaza, a decision linked to Israeli opposition, according to a report in the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.
The meeting, organized by US Central Command (CENTCOM), is expected to bring together representatives from more than 45 countries to discuss an international force, called the International Stabilization Force for Gaza, envisioned as part of postwar arrangements in the Gaza Strip.
Diplomatic sources cited by Haaretz said Turkey’s absence was not procedural but political, pointing to what they described as an Israeli veto of Ankara’s participation.
According to the report, both a Western diplomat and an Arab source close to the Turkish government confirmed that Turkey was not included on the invitation list, despite its close ties with Washington and Doha. Another Western official said they were aware in advance that Turkey would not be taking part.
“There is no other reason,” an Arab diplomatic source told Haaretz, noting that Turkey was invited to the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit in October and has publicly backed international efforts related to Gaza.
The source said Turkey has endorsed the Sharm el-Sheik declaration and expressed readiness to contribute to a multinational force, adding that Israel was the only party opposing its involvement.
Deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Under the first phase, a fragile ceasefire in the two-year war began on October 10, with Hamas releasing hostages and Israel freeing detained Palestinians.
Turkey and Qatar are said to be pressing US officials to reconsider the decision, according to the report.
Israel has repeatedly objected to Turkey playing a role in postwar Gaza, citing Ankara’s strong criticism of Israel’s military campaign and its political support for Hamas, which Turkey does not designate as a terrorist organization. Relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv have sharply deteriorated since the start of the Gaza war.
According to an invitation list obtained by Haaretz, countries invited to the Doha meeting include Egypt, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Italy, as well as a wide range of European, Asian and Pacific nations. Kosovo, which is not a United Nations member, was also listed.
A Western diplomat cited by the newspaper described the Doha meeting as an interim gathering, with no binding decisions expected. A similar meeting reportedly took place in Washington about two weeks ago, and another, at the level of military chiefs, is planned for January.
The diplomat said the United States is expected to present further details about the proposed stabilization force in Doha and gauge potential contributions, though firm commitments are not anticipated at this stage.
According to Haaretz, Italy is so far the only country to have formally committed to participating in the force, including specifying troop numbers. More substantive agreements are expected at the January meeting, as Washington moves toward what officials describe as the next phase of the Trump administration’s Gaza plan.
A senior US State Department official from the Political-Military Bureau, along with other members of the US security establishment, is currently in Israel and is expected to travel to Egypt to discuss postwar governance arrangements for Gaza.
These talks are expected to cover the proposed civilian administration for the territory, a Palestinian technocratic body and the international stabilization force.