Türkiye says Gaza troop deployment would not threaten Israel

Türkiye says it's prepared a self-sustaining international stabilisation force for Gaza and has already begun training, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler said, reiterating Ankara’s readiness to deploy troops to support humanitarian efforts and help end the fighting.

Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler said the force is intended to help maintain security in the Gaza Strip once conditions allow, stressing that Türkiye’s goal is humanitarian, not military.

He said Ankara is willing to deploy troops as part of a future peacekeeping or stabilisation mission, emphasising in an interview with Kyodo News that such a deployment “would not pose a threat to Israel” and is aimed at facilitating aid delivery and contributing to an end to the conflict.

Güler noted that the composition of the international force has yet to be finalised, adding that discussions on participation are ongoing.

Turning to broader defence cooperation, Güler said ties between Türkiye and Japan could advance to a strategic level by combining Japan’s advanced technology with Türkiye’s production capacity and operational experience.

He highlighted Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles being considered by Japan, describing them as reliable and cost-effective systems capable of long-duration flight and uninterrupted surveillance.

As a potential model under evaluation, he cited the ANKA drone produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries, and said Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3 could also contribute to Japan’s defence capabilities.

Güler added that following Japanese Defence Minister Nakatani Gen’s visit to Ankara last August, the two sides have continued talks on maritime security, unmanned systems, training and air defence technologies.

He said a Turkish Defence Ministry delegation is expected to visit Japan in March to discuss defence industry cooperation and a framework agreement.

On regional security, Güler said the PKK terror group continues to operate in Syria, Iraq and Iran, warning that the threat would persist until all weapons are surrendered. He also said the integration of SDF elements into Syrian government structures should be completed as soon as possible.

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