Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has praised the participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla, calling their effort “a noble act” to raise international awareness of the ongoing crisis in Gaza and prevent Israel’s genocide in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Fidan emphasised that the Flotilla aid initiative, involving multiple countries and dozens of ships, was carefully coordinated to remain peaceful and avoid regional escalation.
“Our primary goal was for this to succeed without conflict and for our citizens to return safely,” he said in an interview with TRT Haber on Saturday.
Türkiye, he revealed, worked with a coalition of nations, including Spain and countries across Latin America and the Asia-Pacific, to apply international pressure on Israel.
Fidan said that a joint statement issued on September 16 by 17 countries was part of this diplomatic strategy.
In the statement, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand expressed their concern about the security of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“This was not just a civil initiative; states stood behind it, within the bounds of international law,” Fidan noted, praising Spain for its active role and coordination.
Following the detention of flotilla participants, Ankara launched a diplomatic and intelligence-driven effort to secure their release.
“Our President [Erdogan] gave clear instructions. Through coordination between our intelligence agency, foreign ministry, and other partners, we brought our citizens back,” Fidan said, adding that efforts continue for those still held.
Turning point
Fidan described US President Donald Trump’s statement opposing Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank as a turning point.
“US President Trump's declaration that he would not permit the annexation of the occupied West Bank was actually a historic turning point,” he said.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, however, remarked with concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could still undermine Trump’s plan for a truce in Gaza.
“There's always a possibility that Netanyahu will sabotage Trump's plan, and I believe the intention is there,” he said.
Highlighting Türkiye’s ongoing diplomatic engagement in efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza, referring to Hamas’ willingness to release all Israeli captives, Fidan said, “Yesterday, President Trump called our President Erdogan. Six to seven hours after their conversation, Hamas issued a positive response with a declaration.”
“The trust-based relationship between the two leaders (Erdogan and Trump) also proved effective in recent efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza; this shows that their cooperation not only helps resolve bilateral issues but also contributes to regional stability,” he added.
Fidan concluded by reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to supporting peaceful civil initiatives and mobilising international action for justice in Gaza.
On Syria
The Turkish foreign minister also called for decisive steps to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity, stating that all elements threatening the country’s unity must be eliminated.
“Elements that currently pose a threat to Syria's physical integrity and division must be eliminated.”
He emphasised that the YPG must clarify its intentions and reach an agreement with Damascus.
“YPG must openly declare its intentions and reach an agreement with Damascus.”
Addressing tensions in southern Syria, Fidan also stressed the need for a positive resolution to the Druze issue, one that respects the country’s integrity and is acceptable to all sides.
“The Druze issue in the south must be resolved positively, from a perspective acceptable to both sides, without jeopardising the country's integrity,” he added.
