Muslim bloc rejects 'external tutelage' over Palestine

ISTANBUL:

Turkiye and six key Muslim allies have jointly declared that Gaza's future must remain in Palestinian hands, rejecting any external system of tutelage and calling for an internationally supported framework for peace, security, and reconstruction.

Following high-level talks in Istanbul, Turkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the group's shared principle was clear - Palestinians must govern and secure their own territory, with global assistance confined to diplomatic, institutional, and economic support.

"Our principle is that Palestinians should govern the Palestinians and ensure their own security; the international community should support this in the best possible way," Fidan said at a press conference. "Nobody wants to see a new system of tutelage emerge," he added.

The discussions come amid efforts by Turkiye, which has played a pivotal role in forging the three-week-old ceasefire in Gaza, to mobilise Muslim nations' influence toward rebuilding the war-torn enclave.

The ceasefire, brokered on October 10 by US President Donald Trump, halted two years of relentless violence but has faced repeated tests from renewed Israeli strikes and reports of Palestinian casualties caused by Israeli forces.

The Istanbul meeting brought together top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia. All seven nations had earlier met President Trump in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, shortly before his plan to end the Gaza war was made public.

At the meeting, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned Israel's violations of the fragile ceasefire and emphasised the need for sustained international pressure to prevent further escalation.

Dar reaffirmed Pakistan's longstanding position in favour of an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in line with UN and OIC resolutions.

Fidan said the coalition of Muslim nations now stood at a decisive moment. "We've reached an extremely critical stage: we do not want the genocide in Gaza to resume," he warned. He confirmed that all participating countries backed a plan allowing Palestinians to take full control of Gaza's governance and security mechanisms.

The Turkiye foreign minister revealed he had met a Hamas delegation over the weekend, led by its chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who indicated readiness for Hamas to "hand Gaza to a committee of Palestinians."

Fidan expressed optimism that reconciliation talks between Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority would "bear fruit as soon as possible," saying unity was vital for strengthening Palestine's international representation.

The joint statement underlined the need for urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territory, and a comprehensive rebuilding effort in the devastated enclave.

Fidan said Ankara was ready to contribute to the emerging International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that will monitor the ceasefire under Trump's plan but insisted the force must operate under a United Nations Security Council mandate.

"It is crucial that the International Stabilisation Force has a mandate defined by a UN Security Council resolution and a framework for legitimacy," Fidan said. He added that participating countries would only decide on troop deployment once the ISF's authority and scope were clarified and approved by the Security Council - free from vetoes by any of its five permanent members.

Israel, however, remains opposed to Turkiye's inclusion in the peacekeeping mission, citing Ankara's support for Hamas. As regional diplomacy gathers pace, Turkiye and its allies are positioning themselves as central players in shaping Gaza's future.