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Türkiye's deputy envoy to the United Nations said Thursday that protecting the Gaza ceasefire must be the international community's highest priority, and pledged continued humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support.
Asli Guven, Türkiye's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told the Security Council that the "foremost priority, as the international community, must be to preserve this long-overdue and hard-achieved ceasefire at all costs."
"Türkiye welcomes the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza and calls for the full and immediate implementation of the ceasefire agreement," Guven said during a Security Council session on Palestine, emphasizing that the international community, "as the international community, the most important priority of ours should be to protect this long-awaited and hard-won ceasefire at all costs."
Guven stressed the necessity of preventing ceasefire violations and settler violence in the occupied West Bank. She also called for an end to Israeli attacks and destabilizing policies toward Lebanon, Syria and the broader region.
"The Middle East cannot endure a persistent cycle of prolonged warfare. Disputes must be solved through diplomatic engagement and negotiation, not through force," Guven said.
She emphasized that it is imperative to prevent ceasefire violations and settler violence in the West Bank, and that attacks and destabilizing policies toward Lebanon, Syria and the broader region must stop.
Guven identified ensuring unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza and initiating reconstruction efforts without further delay as the international community's second priority. Such efforts must be coordinated closely with the United Nations and its relevant agencies, including UNRWA.
Highlighting Türkiye's existing humanitarian efforts, Guven noted that Türkiye sent a humanitarian aid ship carrying approximately 870 tons of food to the region on October 14, with Turkish teams are currently engaged in debris removal and cleanup operations on the ground.
"In the period ahead, we will continue to provide substantial humanitarian assistance to Gaza and stand ready to contribute to reconstruction efforts, in close cooperation with the international community," Guven said.
Guven stressed the importance of defining and operationalizing arrangements for "the day after," as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. These include governance of Gaza, an international stabilization force and the creation of a credible political horizon, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian people.
She affirmed Türkiye's commitment to a two-state solution. "Lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through a political solution based on the two-state vision and pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent, sovereign, and geographically contiguous State of Palestine," Guven said.
Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to actively contribute and extend its support throughout the implementation phases of the ceasefire agreement.
"We will continue to support and mobilize all efforts toward the attainment of a lasting peace in the Middle East," Guven added.
Guven welcomed an opinion released Wednesday by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel's obligations related to the occupied Palestinian territories. "This opinion confirms that Israel does not comply with international law," Guven said.
The ICJ opinion, according to Guven, "validates that Israel's actions are inconsistent with international legal obligations."
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