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Türkiye's U.N.. Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz strongly condemned Israel's unilateral measures to expand its presence in the occupied West Bank, calling for the momentum from the Gaza ceasefire to be translated into implementation of a two-state solution.
"While attention is focused on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the occupying power continues unilateral measures aimed at entrenching its unlawful presence in the West Bank," Yildiz told the U.N. Security Council during a session on the situation in Palestine.
"Türkiye strongly condemns Israel's unilateral measures to expand its unlawful presence in the West Bank. These actions are grave breaches of U.N. resolutions and international law and must be immediately reversed," he noted.
Yildiz reaffirmed that Türkiye categorically opposes any form of annexation in the occupied territories.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the first meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Yildiz stated that Ankara calls for full implementation of ceasefire arrangements, including UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan.
"Maintaining the ceasefire is essential to prevent further killings and to allow space for humanitarian assistance, early recovery efforts and meaningful political engagement," he stated.
He condemned repeated attacks and restrictions on humanitarian assistance, demanding that aid entering Gaza "must be significantly increased and, most importantly, must flow unhindered."
"We also underscore the necessity of full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza to enable recovery and reconstruction. Türkiye stands ready to play an active role in reconstruction efforts," he added.
Türkiye's U.N. ambassador noted that Türkiye has joined the Peace Council established to end the Gaza conflict, aiming to achieve a permanent ceasefire, support Gaza's reconstruction and pursue a just and lasting peace based on Palestinians' right to self-determination and statehood.
"The momentum created following the ceasefire in Gaza must be translated into the implementation of the two-state solution," Yildiz noted.
"Türkiye steadfastly maintains its commitment to the two-state solution based on relevant UN resolutions, international law and the principle of two states living side by side in peace and security," he added.
He later called on the Security Council to "compel Israel to halt its escalation in the occupied West Bank, to fully implement the ceasefire arrangements and to bring its illegal occupation to an end."
"Türkiye will continue to act as a constructive, responsible and reliable partner in these efforts," he concluded.
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo warned that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza remains under threat.
"In recent weeks, the Israeli military intensified strikes across Gaza, hitting densely populated areas and killing dozens of Palestinians," DiCarlo told the Security Council.
"Gaza is still not at peace," she noted.
She described the current moment as "pivotal," saying "there is an opening, one that could allow the region to move in a different direction. But that opening is neither assured nor indefinite."
DiCarlo highlighted the upcoming Peace Council meeting in Washington as "an important step" for implementing phase two of the ceasefire and advancing a political path toward a two-state solution.
DiCarlo said the international community is "witnessing the gradual de facto annexation of the West Bank as unilateral Israeli steps steadily transform the landscape."
She reiterated that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem "have no legal validity. They violate international law and UN resolutions."
"Israeli forces continued large-scale operations across the West Bank, frequently involving live fire and raising serious concerns about the use of lethal force," DiCarlo added.
On Feb. 15, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register large areas in the West Bank as "state property" for the first time since Israel occupied the territory in 1967.
Palestinians warn these actions pave the way for formal annexation and would end prospects for a Palestinian state.
DiCarlo called for full implementation of the U.S.-led peace plan, warning that "at this fragile juncture for the region, we cannot afford half measures."
A U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10, halting Israel's two-year war that killed more than 72,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations, killing 603 Palestinians and injuring 1,618 others, with the majority of them being civilians according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
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