Turkey is finalizing preparations to deploy troops to Gaza as part of an international peacekeeping mission being discussed with the US and Israel, Middle East Eye reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Ankara has begun assembling a brigade of about 2,000 soldiers from across the country to participate in a proposed “stabilization force” under a UN mandate. The unit would include personnel with previous experience in conflict zones and peacekeeping operations.
The mission forms part of a wider Gaza peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump that envisions a multinational force taking control of large parts of the enclave after Hamas’s removal from power. Washington has not yet approved the deployment, while Israel has publicly rejected the idea of Turkish troops operating in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, reacting to a Turkish prosecutor’s detention order for him, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials on accusations of genocide and war crimes, said on Saturday that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “will only see Gaza through binoculars.”
ארדואן, קח את צווי המעצר המגוחכים שלך ותסתלק מכאן. הם מתאימים יותר לטבח שביצעת בכורדים. ישראל חזקה ולא חוששת.
את עזה אתה תראה רק במשקפת. pic.twitter.com/wk1OqVQgQ2— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) November 9, 2025
“There will be no Turkish boots on the ground,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters on Sunday.
Turkish officials cited in the Middle East Eye report said Israel’s opposition stemmed from reluctance to accept a NATO member operating in Gaza under UN authority.
Ankara has sought a role in post-conflict reconstruction and security arrangements, saying its participation could help enforce a ceasefire and support humanitarian recovery efforts. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said any involvement would require a UN Security Council mandate, while President Erdoğan has expressed readiness to contribute if such a resolution is adopted.
🚨Senior Turkish official tells me: “We are pleased to confirm that Türkiye has successfully facilitated the return of Hadar Goldin’s remains to Israel after 11 years. This achievement is the outcome of intensive efforts and reflects Hamas’ clear commitment to the ceasefire. At…
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 9, 2025
Israeli journalist Barak David reported on Saturday that Turkish officials had facilitated the return of the remains of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, who was killed in Gaza in 2014, as part of efforts to maintain a fragile truce. Barak also cited his sources as saying that Ankara has been negotiating safe passage for around 200 Gazans believed to be trapped in tunnels in areas under Israeli control.
Citing documents it reviewed, the Middle East Eye report said a draft UN resolution would authorize the multinational mission to oversee the ceasefire, assist in reconstruction and, if necessary, disarm Hamas “by force.” Turkey and Egypt have opposed the inclusion of language that could lead to clashes with Palestinian groups.
Trump has defended his peace plan as “the key to lasting peace” and said he expects UN approval soon.
Since October 2023 UN experts, rights groups and courts have warned that Israel’s siege, bombardment and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza meet the definition of genocide.
The International Court of Justice has issued three sets of provisional measures ordering Israel to prevent genocide, allow aid and halt operations in Rafah. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch concluded in December 2024 that Israel was committing genocide. Israeli groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel documented systematic attacks on hospitals and denial of medical aid in 2025, and they also said Israeli authorities are committing genocide in Gaza.
On August 31 the International Association of Genocide Scholars passed a resolution saying Israeli actions meet the legal definition of genocide. On September 16 a UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, citing killings, conditions of life calculated to bring destruction and statements by senior Israeli officials.