Trump grants Turkey a central role in the Gaza plan.. and Israel considers it a "security threat"

The Washington Post revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump sees Turkey as a central player in implementing the new American peace plan for the Gaza Strip, following Ankara's success in convincing Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement, at a time when the Israeli occupation considers this role a “direct security threat” due to Turkey's close relations with the movement.

The newspaper indicates that Washington is seeking to involve Turkey in the reconstruction process of Gaza and within an international force to stabilize the region, while the occupation intensifies its efforts to thwart any Turkish field presence amid a renewed regional struggle for influence in the post-war phase.

Turkey is returning to the forefront after a temporary marginalization following its exclusion from the initial diplomatic efforts; it regained its presence strongly after successfully convincing Hamas to release Israeli prisoners, a key provision in the ceasefire agreement, and agreeing to Trump's plan.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that his country bears a “fundamental responsibility” in the reconstruction of Gaza, announcing Ankara's readiness to provide humanitarian aid and participate in an international mission to maintain stability.

Analysts believe that Turkey's participation in the American plan will enhance its position in Washington and grant Erdoğan new domestic political capital as the “leader of the Islamic world.”

However, this role has raised widespread concern in Tel Aviv, where Michael Milstein, the former head of the Palestinian Affairs Division in Israeli military intelligence, said: “The idea of the Turks entering Gaza drives Israelis crazy... Turkey is not an official enemy, but it is certainly not a partner for Israel.”

The Washington Post points out that major shifts in the Middle East over the past two years, including the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and a series of Israeli strikes against Iran and Hezbollah, have weakened Iranian influence and opened the door for Turkey's return as a strong regional player.

Erdoğan has also succeeded in building a “pragmatic” personal relationship with Trump, despite previous tensions between the two countries.

Former Israeli ambassador to Washington Michael Oren warns of this shift, saying: “If we get rid of Iran and Hezbollah only to find Turkey, Qatar, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza instead, it will be a security disaster.”

According to the newspaper, Israeli leaders have intensified their moves to thwart any plan that grants Turkey a foothold in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on October 26: “Israel will decide for itself which foreign forces are unacceptable, and this is an agreement we have with our American friends.”

In contrast, U.S. Vice President Jay D. Vance, during his recent visit to Israel, stated that Washington “will not impose foreign forces on our Israeli friends,” but he affirmed that “the Turks have a constructive role in the peace process,” adding: “The path to peace lies in focusing on the future, not the past.”

The Washington Post clarifies that Ankara has hosted dozens of Hamas leaders and members over the past years, including Abdul Nasser Issa, one of the founders of its military wing.

Data from the U.S. Treasury Department indicates that about $500 million of the movement's assets are distributed among companies in Turkey and four Arab countries.

However, Turkish researcher Asli Aydintasbas from the Brookings Institution asserts that Ankara has not allowed Hamas to build a military or financial infrastructure that could be used against the Israeli occupation, explaining that Turkey separates political support for the movement from military action.

However, the occupation rejects this distinction, considering that any support for Hamas serves its military wing.

Before Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv were witnessing economic and diplomatic improvement, but the war turned the equation upside down.

Since the outbreak of the war, Erdoğan has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of the Israeli occupation, describing Hamas as a “national liberation movement,” and Turkey has joined the lawsuit filed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice accusing the occupation of genocide.

The newspaper believes that Turkey's role in the reconstruction of Gaza carries an attractive economic dimension, as Turkish companies have extensive experience in infrastructure projects and debris removal, qualifying them to participate in projects estimated at tens of billions of dollars.

In contrast, Israeli analysts believe that Turkish organizations, led by the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), are practicing “symbolic consolidation of the Turkish presence in Gaza.”

The foundation denied these allegations, and its deputy director Mustafa Ozbek stated that “Israeli accusations began after the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, when Israeli forces stormed the Turkish aid convoy, triggering a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries.”

According to the