Erdogan Turns Trump’s Gaza Deal into a Power Move for Turkey

Post by : Saif Nasser

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has turned his country’s relationship with Hamas into a big political advantage. By helping convince Hamas to accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace deal, Erdogan has made Turkey an important player again in Middle East politics, surprising Israel and worrying several Arab countries. According to regional sources and Hamas officials, Hamas leaders were at first unwilling to accept Trump’s demand — release the Israeli hostages or face more attacks in Gaza. But when Turkey, which Hamas sees as a trusted ally, strongly urged them to agree, the group finally accepted the deal. Ankara’s message was firm and clear: it was time to accept. After the agreement was made, Trump praised Erdogan, calling him “one of the most powerful men in the world” and a “reliable ally.” Erdogan’s move in the Gaza agreement gave Turkey new respect and importance in regional politics. For years, Turkey had been left out of major peace talks because of its support for Hamas and its poor ties with Israel. Now, with Trump’s public praise, Erdogan has regained some lost influence across the Middle East.

Experts believe Erdogan’s role in the Gaza deal could bring real benefits for Turkey. Sinan Ulgen, who leads the Istanbul-based think tank EDAM, said Turkey’s success has given it new diplomatic power, especially with the United States. He added that Turkey could now use this goodwill to push forward old issues like rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program, reducing U.S. sanctions imposed after its purchase of Russian S-400 missiles, and getting more U.S. help on Turkey’s goals in Syria. If Trump’s praise turns into lasting friendship, Ulgen said, Turkey might be able to fix many long-standing problems with Washington.

The new phase of cooperation between Ankara and Washington started when Erdogan visited the White House in September, his first visit in six years. During that meeting, the two sides discussed sanctions, F-35 jets, and the future of Syria. Turkey wants the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to join the Syrian army, as Ankara sees the SDF as linked to the PKK, which it calls a terrorist group. Reports now say that this plan is moving forward, which Turkey views as a major win.

For Erdogan, success in Gaza is part of a bigger dream — to bring Turkey back to a leadership position in the Middle East, similar to its role centuries ago during the Ottoman Empire. Over the years, Turkey’s support for Islamist groups and its criticism of Israel caused tension with countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. But Trump’s decision to trust Erdogan with the Gaza talks has now made Turkey a key player again. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin led the talks with Hamas and assured them that the ceasefire had full support from both regional and U.S. leaders. Sources say Trump personally promised that Israel would not restart attacks if Hamas freed hostages and returned the bodies of the dead.

Trump’s decision gave Erdogan the regional leadership role he had long wanted, but it also caused unease among other Arab nations that still fear his ambitions. Arab political analyst Ayman Abdel Nour said, “Erdogan is very skilled at using every opportunity to his advantage. Gulf countries were not happy to see him take the lead on Gaza, but they also wanted the war to end.” Lebanese writer Sarkis Naoum added that many Arab leaders are still uneasy about Turkey’s growing influence, which reminds them of Ottoman rule over their lands a century ago.

Israel at first opposed Turkey’s role in the talks, but Trump personally intervened to make sure Ankara could take part. Israel’s foreign ministry has not yet commented. For Hamas, the biggest fear was that Israel might not keep its promises. A senior Hamas official told Reuters that only four sides — Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. — gave real guarantees, with Trump himself giving his word that Israel would not return to war after the hostages were released. The Gaza deal freed several Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Israel’s military response then left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health officials.

Hamas finally accepted the truce under huge pressure. Gaza’s people were suffering, and even Hamas’s own fighters were exhausted. The ceasefire has brought short-term calm, but no one knows whether it will lead to lasting peace or a path to a Palestinian state. Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt say the current plan has no clear roadmap toward the long-promised two-state solution.