Gaza ‘stabilisation force' must guarantee lasting truce: Turkey

Turkey's main expectation from a planned International Stabilisation Force in Gaza is for it to provide guarantees that the fragile ceasefire will last, its defence ministry said on Thursday.

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Nato member Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel's devastating two-year assault on Gaza, calling it a genocide. It has emerged as a critical player and mediator in ceasefire efforts, voicing a desire to join the stabilisation force despite Israel's repeated objections.

At a briefing in Ankara, the ministry also said Turkey believed the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) must ensure unhindered humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza in line with international law.

In a separate development, the Israeli military said its troops killed two Palestinians in a town in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, while Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the territory.

Settler violence has surged in recent weeks across the West Bank, drawing international condemnation and even rare criticism from within the Israeli military and government.

Meanwhile, the Ramallah-based Palestinian foreign ministry said Israeli settlers set ablaze the Hajja Hamida mosque near the town of Deir Istiya in the north.