In the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military has continued its attacks for 734 days, officials announced that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between the parties.
The first statement came from U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social at 1.51 a.m., Trump said, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have approved the first phase of our peace plan,” emphasizing that all hostages will be released very soon under the agreement.
The ceasefire talks in Egypt focused solely on implementing the first phase of the Israel-Hamas agreement, not on other elements within the broader Trump Plan, such as the disarmament of Hamas.
“The first step toward lasting and eternal peace”
“This means Israel will withdraw its troops from agreed areas as the first step toward strong, lasting, and eternal peace,” Trump said, continuing:
“We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event possible.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari also posted on X: “The mediators announced that tonight, in Gaza, an agreement was reached on all provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the ceasefire, which will ensure an end to the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, and the entry of aid.”
In the wake of Sumud
Following the Global Sumud Flotilla, the Freedom Flotilla set sail in the Mediterranean to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.
In the first week of October, the fleet departed from Otranto, Italy, aboard the flagship Vicdan and 10 other vessels. The flotilla included doctors, journalists, and numerous activists, three of whom were Israeli citizens.
Yeni Yol Party deputies Sema Silkin Ün representing Denizli, Mehmet Atmaca of Bursa, and Necmettin Çalışkan of Hatay returned to Turkey via Istanbul Airport after traveling first to Azerbaijan and then back from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. They arrived on an Azerbaijan Airlines flight and addressed the press following their arrival.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which set out from Italy, reached waters off Egypt with one ship and eight boats carrying more than 140 people from 30 countries to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the Israeli blockade.
The flotilla, composed mostly of doctors, healthcare workers, and journalists, was intercepted by the Israeli military in the early hours of October 8.
Passengers on the flotilla, who were about 120 nautical miles from Gaza in international waters, were prevented from continuing and were illegally detained by Israel.
On the evening of October 1, the Israeli military also attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla, detaining passengers aboard the vessels. After “deportation” procedures, nearly all of the hundreds of activists returned to their home countries.
Turkish MPs Return After Gaza Solidarity Mission
Sema Silkin Ün criticized Israel for intervening against the Vicdan, or Conscience Ship without regard for international law. She described being transported to Ashdod Port after a 15-hour journey. Ün said that while they were initially about to be taken to prison, they were held at the airport, then moved to a police station where they were kept in separate sections for 12 hours until arrangements were made for their travel to Azerbaijan. She said, “Our journey, which began with Sumud, concluded with Vicdan and the Freedom Flotilla. In fact, the path opened by Sumud and its victory has now been crowned by Vicdan and the Freedom Flotilla.”
Ün described the mission as a major victory against Zionism and praised the support for civilian resistance, stating: “Just as Palestine and Gaza unite people around the world, it also brought together all segments of our society, all political parties. The blessing of Palestine, the blessing of Gaza—this must be it.”
“The whole world witnessed Zionist atrocities firsthand”
Necmettin Çalışkan emphasized that the most urgent issue is addressing deaths from hunger and preventing genocide. He called for increased support for Gaza, saying, “All of humanity—East and West, all cultures, all colors—came together around the crimes committed against people in Palestine. Every one of Turkey’s 86 million people, from government to opposition, secular to religious, supported the Palestinian cause. This should serve as an example for us going forward.”
Çalışkan added: “The whole world witnessed firsthand the savage, monstrous actions of Zionist killers. After these flotillas, the global wave of anger against the murderous Zionists has only grown.”
He also thanked those who contributed to the creation of Sumud and the Freedom Flotilla, saying: “Israel is a cowardly entity. Its officials are not public servants but resemble teenage militants in a terrorist organization. We saw this in all their leaders. That is why this structure is doomed to collapse, as long as we continue to stand by the Palestinian cause.”
Mehmet Atmaca highlighted the attempt to create a civilian initiative through Sumud and the Freedom Flotilla, saying: “The blockade was not broken, but the goal was still achieved. Reaching Gaza’s shores might not have been enough to break the blockade, but it made a significant contribution by drawing global attention to the issue. In that sense, it was an extremely valuable and important effort, and we are very happy to have been part of it.”
He added: “Breaking the blockade is only possible through state intervention. That is why the efforts made outside the ships and on the ground are so important. These efforts must continue until Gaza achieves freedom.”
Source: Anadolu Agency
(NÖ/MH)
