Ankara, Turkey – October 16, 2025 – In a resolute address following a high-level Cabinet meeting in the capital, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday underscored Türkiye's unwavering dedication to a landmark peace declaration signed earlier this week at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The declaration, aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire and permanent peace in Gaza, marks a pivotal moment in the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Erdogan vowing full implementation support and calling on global powers to match Türkiye's resolve.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara's Çankaya Palace, Erdogan declared: “We will fully support the Sharm el-Sheikh declaration through to the end, and I believe the United States, Egypt, and Qatar will all take a similar position.” His words come just days after Monday's historic gathering in the Egyptian resort town, where U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened over 20 world leaders, including Erdogan himself, to formalize the agreement. The summit, hosted under the shadow of the Gaza Strip's humanitarian catastrophe, saw Erdogan, Trump, Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani affix their signatures to the document, which outlines a comprehensive truce framework, hostage releases, and reconstruction pledges.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration builds on fragile ceasefires brokered in recent months but introduces enforceable mechanisms for long-term stability. Key provisions include the immediate scaling up of humanitarian corridors into Gaza, international monitoring of border crossings, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from contested areas. Diplomatic sources confirmed that the agreement was reached after 18 hours of closed-door negotiations, with Türkiye playing a mediating role in bridging gaps between Hamas representatives and Israeli envoys via Qatari intermediaries.
Erdogan's emphasis on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza dominated the first half of his remarks. “Every effort to ease the burden of the oppressed people of Gaza is valuable to us. It is not anyone’s place or right to belittle this by simply saying ‘they signed a ceasefire,’” he asserted, his voice laced with indignation. He detailed Türkiye's substantial contributions, noting that over 100,000 tons of humanitarian aid—including food staples, medical supplies, shelter kits, and water purification systems—have been dispatched from Turkish ports since the conflict's escalation in October 2023. “We have fearlessly defended Gaza and the Palestinian cause in all the meetings we have attended and on all international platforms, while never neglecting to work for a ceasefire in Gaza,” Erdogan added.
This aid effort, coordinated through Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), has involved more than 50 cargo flights and over 200 truck convoys crossing into Gaza via Egypt's Rafah border. Independent assessments by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) corroborate these figures, praising Türkiye's logistics as among the most efficient in the region. Erdogan further announced that Ankara will deploy a team of 50 international observers to monitor ceasefire compliance on the ground, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The declaration's implementation gained immediate traction with the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, which commenced shortly after Hamas fulfilled its commitment to free all 20 living Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip on Monday. Eyewitness footage from Gaza City showed jubilant crowds as the first group of 150 Palestinian detainees—many held without trial under administrative detention—crossed into Egyptian territory en route to reunions with families. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, hailed the exchange as a "long-overdue step toward justice," though they urged acceleration of the remaining 5,000+ releases stipulated in the agreement.
The backdrop to these developments remains grim. Since October 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in nearly 68,000 Palestinian deaths, with women and children comprising over 70% of the fatalities, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and verified by World Health Organization data. The enclave, once home to 2.3 million people, is now largely uninhabitable: 85% of its structures lie in ruins, agricultural lands are contaminated by unexploded ordnance, and a blockade has triggered famine-like conditions affecting 1.9 million residents. Satellite imagery from the European Space Agency reveals that Gaza's urban density has plummeted by 60%, with desalination plants offline and hospitals operating at 20% capacity. Erdogan's speech framed the peace deal as a moral imperative, warning that failure to rebuild could ignite broader regional unrest.
Shifting focus to Türkiye's broader geopolitical strategy, Erdogan highlighted Ankara's instrumental role in fostering stability across the Middle East. “The Turkish people have successfully passed the test of fellowship and neighborliness. Our relations with Syria are strengthening. As stability takes root in Syria, everything will improve significantly,” he stated. This comes amid Türkiye's deepening ties with the post-Assad Syrian interim government, including a landmark $2 billion reconstruction pact signed last month. Turkish troops, numbering 15,000 in northern Syria, have transitioned from counter-terrorism to infrastructure support, rebuilding schools and power grids in Idlib and Aleppo. Analysts from the Brookings Institution note that this "soft power pivot" has reduced cross-border tensions by 40% year-over-year, per Turkish Defense Ministry reports.
Erdogan then pivoted to Türkiye's ambitious energy and minerals agenda, positioning the nation as a linchpin in global supply chains. “One of the priorities is to offer the country's minerals to international markets with added value,” he explained, spotlighting the Beylikova rare earth element (REE) field in Eskisehir province. Discovered in 2023 through a national exploration drive, the site spans 1,200 square kilometers and represents Türkiye's crown jewel in critical minerals.
To date, 125,000 meters (410,105 feet) of drilling have been completed across 310 locations, unearthing 694 million tons of resources—primarily rare earth elements, barite, and fluorite. “The Beylikova field, which contains 10 of the 17 rare earth elements, holds about 12.5 million tons of rare earth oxides. We aim to become one of the world's top five rare earth element producers,” Erdogan proclaimed. Currently, China dominates 80% of global REE production, vital for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and semiconductors. Türkiye's reserves could disrupt this monopoly, potentially supplying 5% of worldwide demand by 2030.
Progress is accelerating: The Eti Maden Pilot Production Facility, operational since June 2025, processes 1,200 tons of ore annually, yielding high-purity neodymium and praseodymium oxides. “We are continuing our work, including purification technology, to transform the pilot plant into an industrial facility capable of 50,000 tons per year,” Erdogan said. Challenges persist, however. “Countries and companies with rare earth element technology are 'unfortunately' hesitant to share their experience in production processes,” he lamented, citing export controls by the U.S. and Australia.
To surmount this, Türkiye is pursuing strategic partnerships. “Many countries have signed agreements with countries experienced in these areas for technology development, consultancy, and technology transfer. Türkiye is also talking with expert organizations of countries with technological expertise to develop collaborations,” Erdogan revealed. Preliminary deals with South Korea's Korea Resources Corporation and Canada's Neo Performance Materials were inked last week, focusing on solvent extraction techniques. The European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act has earmarked €500 million for joint ventures, with Türkiye as a priority partner due to its proximity and NATO alignment.
Erdogan was unequivocal on sovereignty: “Giving the rare earth element field in Beylikova over to any other country is out of the question.” This stance echoes Ankara's "zero problems with neighbors" doctrine, updated for resource nationalism. Economists project that full exploitation could generate $15 billion annually, creating 20,000 jobs and reducing Türkiye's $10 billion REE import bill to zero. Environmental safeguards are integral: The project adheres to EU Green Deal standards, with zero-waste processing and reforestation of 5,000 hectares.
The Cabinet meeting itself was a whirlwind of policy announcements. Ministers approved a $1.2 billion aid package for Gaza reconstruction, including solar-powered hospitals, and ratified a free-trade zone with Syria. Inflation, steady at 45% year-on-year, was addressed via subsidies for 10 million low-income families. Erdogan concluded by invoking Ottoman-era resilience: “Just as our ancestors tamed the seas, we will harness the earth's treasures for peace and prosperity.”
Global reactions poured in swiftly. U.S. President Trump tweeted: "Great deal in Egypt—Erdogan's a tough negotiator! America stands with Türkiye." Egyptian state media lauded the summit as "Sisi's triumph," while Qatar pledged $3 billion for Gaza. Critics, including Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, cautioned against "Hamas emboldenment," but polls show 72% Israeli support for the truce.
As dusk fell over Ankara, Erdogan's address resonated beyond borders, blending compassion for Gaza with economic foresight. With the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration's ink still drying and Beylikova's drills humming, Türkiye emerges not just as a regional power, but a global fulcrum for peace and progress. Implementation hurdles loom—spoiler attacks, funding shortfalls—but Erdogan's roadmap offers hope amid despair.
