President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye expressed Ankara's approval of the ceasefire proposal accepted by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas for the Gaza Strip.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan welcomed the announcement, citing Türkiye's efforts in facilitating the agreement. He urged Israel to reciprocate by accepting the ceasefire and releasing hostages, calling on Western nations to pressure Israel toward this end.

Erdoğan disclosed that he had spoken with Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh before the cabinet meeting to discuss ending the conflict in Gaza. They reviewed Hamas' acceptance of the ceasefire mediated through intermediaries, with Erdoğan lauding the decision as influenced by Türkiye's suggestions. He stressed the importance of Israel's cooperation for a lasting ceasefire.

Hamas announced its agreement to the ceasefire proposal on Monday, conveyed by Haniyeh to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. This development followed Israeli forces' evacuation orders for Palestinians in eastern Rafah, a move interpreted as a precursor to an impending attack.

Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera News reported that a Hamas delegation would arrive in Cairo on Tuesday for further ceasefire discussions. The delegation had departed Cairo on Sunday after two days of talks.

Türkiye has been an outspoken critic of Israel since the conflict began on Oct. 7, defending the Palestinian cause and accusing Israel of war crimes and genocide. Erdoğan has described Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S., and the EU, as freedom fighters. Türkiye has proposed a guarantorship model for resolving the conflict, which has garnered support from some Palestinian officials.

According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 34,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began, with the vast majority being women and children. Approximately 78,000 others have been injured. The conflict has left significant portions of Gaza in ruins, displacing 85% of the enclave's population amid a severe blockade on essential resources, as reported by the U.N.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, with an interim ruling in January acknowledging the plausibility of such acts and ordering Israel to cease them and ensure humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. (ILKHA)