UN mandate for Gaza force still in the works, Türkiye says

Countries are still working on a UN Security Council mandate for an international stabilisation force in Gaza, and will decide on any troop deployments once a framework is complete, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday.

Fidan spoke after he and ministers from several Muslim-majority countries met in Istanbul to discuss the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza, as Hamas and Israel trade accusations of violations.

Some of the countries that met - which also included Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and Türkiye- could contribute to the force envisioned to monitor the truce.

The leaders of the seven countries had met U.S. President Donald Trump in New York in September, shortly before Israel and Hamas agreed on his ceasefire plan.

Fidan told a press conference there were some issues in fully implementing the agreement because Israel was regularly violating it, adding Israel must fulfil its duty to allow in sufficient aid.

Israel has said it is committed to Trump's plan and that Palestinian militant group Hamas has not upheld its agreement to return the remaining bodies of hostages.

Fidan said Türkiye wanted to see Palestinians ensure their own security and manage their own governance after the war, but that there were other steps that needed to be taken first.

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