Netanyahu’s office to ToI: There will be no Turkish troops deployed in Gaza

By Lazar Berman, Reuters and ToI Staff
Oct 22 2025

Sky News Arabia reports Egyptian intel chief, Netanyahu disagreed over Ankara’s role in post-war Gaza; PMO: ‘There is no disagreement’; VP Vance has said he sees ‘constructive role’ for Turkey

There will be no Turkish troops in the Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister’s Office insisted Wednesday, after reports emerged of a disagreement on the issue during the previous day’s meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad.

Rashad was in Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, where the two discussed “advancing [US President Donald] Trump’s plan, Israel–Egypt relations and strengthening the peace between the countries, as well as other regional issues,” the Israeli readout of the meeting said.

According to a Wednesday report on Sky News Arabia, citing a Palestinian source, Netanyahu and the Egyptian intel chief disagreed over potential Turkish participation in the planned International Stabilization Force (ISF).

The force is part of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, and is intended to secure the Strip during a transitional postwar period, following Israel’s withdrawal and the disarmament of the Hamas terror group.

Netanyahu also “completely rejected” the deployment of Palestinian Authority security forces trained by Egypt and Jordan in Gaza, the source told the UK-Emirati outlet.

“Netanyahu insists that the second-phase conditions be implemented first, namely the disarmament of Hamas and its relinquishment of control over Gaza, before any discussion of local administration or security forces operating in Gaza,” the Palestinian source added.

When asked about the report, Netanyahu’s office told The Times of Israel: “There is no disagreement.”

“There will be no Turkish involvement,” the PMO said.

Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu hinted at his opposition to any role for Turkish security forces in Gaza at a press conference alongside visiting US Vice President JD Vance.

Responding to a question about the idea of Turkish security forces in Gaza, Netanyahu said: “We will decide together about that. So I have very strong opinions about that. Want to guess what they are?”

Vance said on Tuesday that he saw a “constructive role” for Turkey to play as the truce moved towards the next stage. Answering a question from The Times of Israel, he also said, however, that nothing would be imposed on Israel regarding troops on the ground. “We’re not going to force anything on our Israeli friends when it comes to foreign troops on their soil.”

Two weeks earlier, Erdogan said Turkey could play a role “in the field,” while a senior official told Reuters that it would take part in the joint task force — alongside Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt — established to locate the bodies of deceased hostages in Gaza whose locations were unknown.

Once warm relations between NATO member Turkey and Israel hit new lows during the Gaza war, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly accusing Israel of “genocide” and comparing Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Ankara, which became a key mediator in the recent Gaza talks, has also said that its armed forces could serve in a military or civilian capacity as needed.

While Turkey’s role in the future of Gaza is unclear, a Turkish aid organization designated in Israel as a terror organization published footage Tuesday showing its personnel conducting aid activities in the Gaza Strip.

The organization, IHH, has been outlawed in Israel due to ties with Palestinian terror groups and its role in organizing the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla to Gaza, and has also been banned in Germany and the Netherlands.

The organization shared video of water being distributed in the Strip using tankers marked with Turkish flags and the group’s banners.

🇵🇸We distributed clean water in Gaza, where Israel’s attacks and blockade have deepened the clean water crisis.

We need your support to heal the wounds.

🌐 Online Donation: https://t.co/Kkl7AqPy35 pic.twitter.com/kwQADiGIyk

— IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation (@IHHen) October 21, 2025

On October 18, IHH also posted footage of bulldozers clearing rubble in the territory, also bearing Turkish flags and the organization’s insignia.

In the Mavi Marmara incident, 10 Turkish activists were killed in a violent confrontation with Israeli naval commandos aboard a ship that aimed to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

As for the multinational military force in Gaza, Egypt has emerged as the expected leader of the ISF, the UK’s The Guardian said.

According to a report published by the outlet on Saturday, the US and European powers are preparing a UN Security Council motion that would allow the stabilization force to act under a UN mandate without being considered a UN peacekeeping force — as Trump’s plan for the ISF does not envision it being a UN-led operation.

Citing unnamed diplomats, The Guardian reported that Egypt would likely lead the stabilization force, although Cairo has not issued any statements on the matter, having not yet publicly committed to contributing troops to the ISF.

Indonesia is the only country to date that has publicly offered to send troops for the effort, saying last month that it would send 20,000 soldiers to Gaza, while specifying that it would be under a UN-mandated peacekeeping mission.

But the US has also been in talks with other countries to try and shore up support, and three government officials familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Saturday that Azerbaijan had also agreed to contribute troops to the ISF.

With regard to other countries in the region, Arab officials have repeatedly told The Times of Israel that the United Arab Emirates and Qatar do not intend to send troops to secure Gaza but could still assist with funds or training.

Featured Image: Water being distributed in Gaza using tankers marked with Turkish flags, October 21, 2025.

Source: timesofisrael.com
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