Mediator or rebuilder: Turkey’s potential role in the Israel-Gaza war

Erdoğan and Sisi vowed to cooperate on Gaza aid at a presser in Cairo. © TCCB

İSTANBUL – According to recent headlines, the Israel-Gaza war is expanding further into Lebanon, nearing a US-brokered ceasefire and coming under more legal scrutiny, as seen with Monday’s hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), during which Ankara described Israeli occupation as “the real obstacle to peace”.

Nearly five months on, the conflict continues to evolve in many directions and so do the Turkish government’s aspired aims to mediate or take part in the post-conflict process.

Yet after Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s critical rhetoric against Israel, analysts believe Ankara lacks the necessary neutrality to be a mediator, but could still prove essential for logistics, humanitarian aid and, eventually, reconstruction.