Sharm el-Sheikh declaration could mark new milestone for Gaza: Erdogan

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that the quadripartite declaration signed at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit on Gaza the day prior could mark a new milestone on the path to lasting peace in the region.

Addressing an event of his Justice and Development (AK) Party in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said steps for Gaza’s reconstruction will be discussed and decided together with the US and Gulf countries.

The remarks follow the summit on Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted more than 20 world leaders, including Erdogan, to sign a document on the Gaza ceasefire deal that ended the war.

The ceremony began with the arrival of leaders from multiple countries, followed by an opening speech from Trump. Erdogan, Trump, Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani then formally signed the agreement.

Earlier Monday, the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails began after Hamas freed all 20 living Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.